How the White House Is Twisting the Facts

The New York Post wrote on July 7:

“White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called The Post ‘irresponsible’ Friday for asking point-blank whether cocaine found in the West Wing last weekend belonged to any member of the first family… ‘the Biden family was not here,’ Jean-Pierre added… ‘They were at Camp David. They were not here Friday, they were not here Saturday or Sunday, they were not even here Monday. They came back on Tuesday. So to ask that question is actually incredibly irresponsible, and I’ll just leave it there.’…

“In fact, the first family — including first son Hunter Biden, an admitted past crack cocaine addict — did not leave the White House for Camp David until around 6:30 p.m. on Friday, June 30, almost exactly 48 hours before the dime-sized bag of illicit white powder was found by a Secret Service agent on a routine patrol…

“Five days after the drugs were discovered in a cubby near the West Wing’s basement entrance and steps from the Situation Room, the White House has yet to flat-out deny that the cocaine belonged to any member of the president’s family or staff…

“Elsewhere in the briefing, national security adviser Jake Sullivan appeared to suggest that outside workers may have been responsible for the cocaine getting inside one of the most secure buildings in the world…”

Also, the location where the substance was found is NOT open to the general public.

Report 24 wrote on July 6:

“Just hours after Hunter Biden visited the White House, the Secret Service found cocaine there. Joe Biden’s son is known for his drug use, thanks in particular to his ‘Laptop from Hell’.

“…While it is likely that there would be fingerprints and DNA evidence on the package, it is highly unlikely that these would be… publicly assigned to Hunter Biden. And this despite the fact that he has a long drug history and was also in the White House at the time. In addition, according to ex-US President Donald Trump, the surveillance recordings should show the culprit.

“Hunter Biden, who has not only admitted a past addiction to crack but has repeatedly recorded himself smoking, snuffing and otherwise ingesting the substance on dozens of occasions, was also on the White House grounds Friday before he went to Camp David with his father for the second weekend in a row.

“And as expected, there will probably be no further investigations. Silence is the motto. Because the Biden administration has absolutely no need for another drug scandal involving Hunter Biden – and that even in the White House.”

Caught in a Lie

Breitbart added on July 7:

“… that claim [that the Biden family was not present when cocaine was deposited and found in the White House] is contradicted by contemporaneous reporting by the White House pool, which said that the Biden family had, in fact, been in the White House, including Hunter, on Friday until leaving for Camp David that evening.

“The pool report supplied by Eugene Daniels of POLITICO on Friday, June 30, stated: ‘Poolers saw Jill Biden, Baby Beau and Hunter Biden climb into presidential SUV. President Biden followed a few minutes later. Motorcade rolling to Fort McNair as of 6:34p.’

“Moreover, there is photographic evidence to back up the pool report. The Associated Press published [a] photo on Friday, June 30, showing both Joe and Hunter Biden leaving Fort McNair for Camp David.”

Fox News added on July 7:

“According to the Friday, June 30 pool report, Biden gave remarks in the Roosevelt Room that afternoon, and didn’t depart the White House for Camp David until 6:34 p.m., along with First Lady Jill Biden, Hunter Biden, and Hunter’s son Beau Biden.”

How long can the White House continue their lies to protect Hunter Biden and, more importantly, Joe Biden? On July 13, the Secret Service announced that the investigation had ended and that no culprit had been found!

US Cluster Bombs for Ukraine

Deutsche Welle wrote on July 7:

“Washington will supply Ukraine with cluster munitions as part of a military aid package worth $800 million to help fight off the Russian invasion…

“German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock rejected supplying such weapons to Ukraine on Friday. Speaking in Vienna, Baerbock said the government stood by the Oslo Convention, which is considered a milestone in the fight against the controversial explosives. An international ban on them came into force in 2010. [On the other hand, according to Die Welt, dated July 7, Steffen Hebestreit, spokesman for the German government, expressed “understanding” for the American position.]

“To date, 110 countries have joined the Convention on Cluster Munitions, and a further 13 nations have signed but not ratified the Convention — so they are not yet obliged to implement it. Signatories commit to neither produce, stockpile nor use the weapons.

“However, the world’s largest countries ―including Russia, the US, China, India and Pakistan ― and also Ukraine have not signed…

“Despite the Convention’s adoption, the proportion of cluster munitions victims has increased significantly, especially in recent years, due to escalated use of the bombs…

“According to Human Rights Watch, Russian troops have ‘extensively used cluster munitions in Ukraine, killing many civilians and causing other serious civilian harm.’ Ukrainian forces had also used them, causing ‘numerous deaths and serious injuries to civilians,’ the international non-governmental organization said.

“Handing such munitions over to Kyiv would ‘inevitably cause long-term suffering for civilians and undermine the international opprobrium of their use,’ the group continued…

“Cluster munitions are dropped as bombs from airplanes or fired as rockets from howitzers, artillery guns and rocket launchers. They contain hundreds of smaller submunitions, known as ‘bomblets’, that then fall indiscriminately over wide areas that range in size from a few soccer fields to several hectares of land. Cluster bombs not only kill soldiers, but civilians, including many children.

“Such munitions have been in use since World War Two and were deployed extensively in the Vietnam War, for example. During that conflict, the US dropped some 260 million of them on neighboring Laos, making it the country with the world’s highest level of cluster munition contamination.

“According to Humanity & Inclusion, a France-based charity organization also known as Handicap International, only about 40% of the smaller bomblets contained in a cluster bomb detonate upon impact. The undetonated ones can still pose a deadly threat decades after they are deployed: The munitions remain ready to explode and can maim or kill a person at any time. They work in a similarly disastrous way to landmines, sometimes rendering affected areas uninhabitable. Some areas of Laos, for example, remain completely contaminated decades after the end of the war.

“Civilian populations are especially affected by the use of cluster munitions… [According to a report from 2022,] 97% of victims were civilians and 66% of those injured or killed are children…

“Ahead of the announcement on the US aid package, the executive director of the US Arms Control Association spoke out against the transfer of such weapons. Sending them ‘would be escalatory, counterproductive, and only further increase the dangers to civilians caught in combat zones and those who will, someday, return to their cities, towns, and farms,’ Daryl Kimball said.”

This is just such a crazy world of war-hungry irresponsible governmental officials, without any consideration for the life, well-being and welfare of civilians and children.

Biden’s Complicated History on Cluster Bombs

Breitbart wrote on July 7:

“The Washington Post recalled Biden’s ‘complicated history’ — i.e. flip-flopping — on the issue of cluster bombs… The Post noted that Biden offered stern criticism of then-Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin…

“The Post recalled: ‘Amid reports that Israel had used cluster bombs in its invasion of Lebanon, some Democrats went so far as to push for cutting off aid to Israel. According to a contemporary UPI report, Biden said that if those reports were accurate, then Israel was clearly in violation. He said the United States should respond by “cutting off the ability to get access to that kind of weaponry in the future.”… Democrats also expressed such concerns during what the New York Times labeled “a highly emotional confrontation” on Capitol Hill with Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin in June 1982…’

“During the Second Lebanon War in 2006, when Israel was again accused of using cluster bombs (this time against Hezbollah guerillas), then-Sen. Biden (D-DE) opposed a bill that would ban the use of cluster munitions in populated areas. His position would appear to have changed, but he continued to express skepticism of cluster bombs. In 2022, the Post noted, Biden’s ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, delivered a speech in which she declared that cluster bombs have ‘no place on the battlefield.’ The administration had to walk that back.”

A Difficult Decision

The Huffington Post wrote on July 7:

“[Biden said he] ultimately took the Defense Department’s recommendation to provide the munitions and discussed the matter with allies and with lawmakers on the Hill. He said ‘the Ukrainians are running out of ammunition’ and the cluster bombs will provide a temporary fix to help stop Russian tanks. The move was met with divided reactions from Congress, as some Democrats criticized the plan while some Republicans backed it…

“Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., called the decision ‘unnecessary and a terrible mistake.’…  Meanwhile, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, backed the move, saying Ukraine needs access to weapons Russia already is using…

“Providing the cluster bombs will also ease the pressure on limited U.S. ammunition stockpiles. The U.S. has been taking massive amounts of 155 mm rounds from Pentagon stocks and sending them to Ukraine, creating concerns about eating into American stores…

“The last large-scale American use of cluster bombs was during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, according to the Pentagon. But U.S. forces considered them a key weapon during the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, according to Human Rights Watch. In the first three years of that conflict, it is estimated the U.S.-led coalition dropped more than 1,500 cluster bombs in Afghanistan.”

Democrats Oppose Biden’s Decision

Breitbart wrote on July 7:

“Democrats across the spectrum oppose President Joe Biden’s decision to provide Ukraine cluster bombs…

“Democrat presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said, ‘Cluster bombs are munitions so horrific for civilians that more than a hundred nations have signed an international treaty banning them. Now the Biden administration is preparing to send them to Ukraine.’

“House Democrats swiftly came out against Biden’s [decision] to provide cluster bombs. Nineteen House progressives said in a joint statement:

“‘… The White House’s announcement runs counter to Congress’s restrictions on the transfer of these weapons and severely undermines our moral leadership. It underscores the work still ahead to press the U.S. to join the international community in banning the use of cluster munitions.’…

“Then-White House press secretary Jen Psaki said last year that alleged Russian use of cluster bombs would ‘potentially be a war crime.’”

So, would this make Joe Biden a potential war criminal as well?

The New York Post wrote on July 8:

“Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Saturday slammed President Biden for his plan to send indiscriminately lethal cluster bombs to Ukraine— suggesting that the choice ran afoul of Biden’s own ethics… ‘Stop the ceaseless escalation! It is time for peace… What happened to his conscience?’…”

Trump: Don’t Send Cluster Bombs, End the War

Breitbart wrote on July 11:

“‘Joe Biden should not be dragging us further toward World War III,’ former President Donald Trump said in a statement released Tuesday, calling to ‘immediately end the bloodshed in Ukraine’ and for a return ‘to a focus on America’s vital interest.’

“Trump warned: ‘He should be trying to END the war and stop the horrific death and destruction being caused by an incompetent administration. These unexploded cluster munitions will be killing and maiming innocent Ukrainian men, women, and children for decades to come, long after the war—we pray—has ended… If, as Biden inadvertently admitted, the reason for sending cluster bombs now is that the United States is ‘running out of ammunition’ (a great breach of classified information), that only further emphasizes the urgency of immediately deescalating this bloody, dangerous, and out of control conflict. It certainly means we should not be sending Ukraine our last stockpiles at a time when our own arsenals, according… Joe Biden, are so perilously diminished.

“There could be no more vivid proof that Joe Biden’s policy of endless war in Ukraine has tremendously weakened the United States than the humiliating admission that the USA is now out of ammo, something our enemies are undoubtedly salivating over. This ‘admitted’ weakness is an invitation to enemies all over the world. Joe Biden is needlessly and dangerously leading us into World War III, which would be a nightmare beyond imagination—obliteration’…

“These statements come as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky admits fear of Trump returning to the White House. ‘President Biden is the president during a full-scale war and he has been more helpful to us than President Trump,’ Zelensky stated in part, telling the Wall Street Journal, ‘In a situation like this, when there is support, you are afraid of changes.’”

NATO in Disunity

The Associated Press wrote on July 9:

“As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues with no end in sight, NATO’s much-celebrated unity faces fresh strains when leaders gather for their annual summit this week in Vilnius, Lithuania. The world’s biggest security alliance is struggling to reach an agreement on admitting Sweden as its 32nd member. Military spending by member nations still lags behind longstanding goals. And an inability to compromise over who should serve as NATO’s next leader forced an extension of the current secretary general’s term for an extra year.

“Perhaps most thorny are questions over how Ukraine should be eased into the alliance. Some maintain admitting Ukraine to NATO would be the fulfillment of a promise made years ago and a necessary step to deter Russian aggression in Eastern Europe. Others are fearful it would be seen as a provocation that could spiral into an even wider conflict… the challenges come at a moment when President Joe Biden and his counterparts are heavily invested in demonstrating harmony among members…

“Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni — one of Western Europe’s staunchest backers of Ukraine in the war — reiterated her country’s condemnation of the Russian aggression but called for the ‘universal application of the principles’ of the international convention banning the production, transfer, and stockpiling of cluster munitions…

“Also in the spotlight in Vilnius will be Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the main obstacle blocking Sweden’s attempts to join NATO alongside its neighbor Finland…

“Turkey and the U.S. are also at an impasse over the sale of F-16 fighter jets. Erdogan wants the upgraded planes, but Biden says that Sweden’s NATO membership has to be dealt with first… Hungarian Prime Minister Vitkor Orban is also delaying his country’s approval of Sweden’s membership. In response, Sen. Jim Risch, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is blocking a $735 million U.S. arms sale to Hungary…

“More disagreements loom over NATO’s updated plans for countering any invasion that Russia might launch on allied territory. It’s the biggest revision since the Cold War…”

Regarding NATO’s updated plans, as mentioned above, note the next article.

How NATO Wants to Defend

The New York Times wrote on July 9:

“Supporting Ukraine and clarifying its relationship with the alliance will be a dominant theme at an upcoming summit. But NATO’s efforts to strengthen its own defenses along its eastern flank will also be key… NATO’s main task is to defend its 31 members… NATO secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, insisted that NATO was a purely defensive alliance, but with a sharper sense of the threat it faced…

“At the moment, the total number of troops for the eight battle groups along the eastern flank is only 10,232…  The leaders at Vilnius are expected to approve plans on how to scale up to 4,000 to 5,000 troops — a brigade — in each of those eight countries, with clearly defined tasks and pre-positioned equipment.

“Separately, since the Russian invasion began, around 40,000 troops drawn from member nations were put on standby under NATO command, but officials admit that the forces it can quickly send to battle are currently nowhere near that level. Under its new plans, NATO aims, at least, to have up to 300,000 troops ready to move to its eastern flank within 30 days, though officials call that number ‘aspirational.’

“The main point, Mr. Stoltenberg said, is that the new regional plans detail what each country must do to help defend its assigned territory, and with what equipment. Those troops will exercise regularly with allies on the territory they are assigned to defend…

“NATO is coming to understand the sophistication and the vulnerability of its modern equipment. A modern Leopard 2A6 tank, the best of those provided to Ukraine, has excellent speed and armor and runs on most any fuel. But it needs two hours of complicated maintenance for every hour on the battlefield…

“It will also take convincing the leaders and voters of larger allies farther away from Russia that their own security is at risk, and that they are going to have to pay the considerable price of a more militarized Europe for decades to come. And that means being truly prepared to come to the aid of smaller countries bordering Russia, like Lithuania, while rebuilding their weak militaries and learning to rely less on the United States.

“For Lithuania, a country of 2.7 million people that borders Russia and Belarus, getting Germany to commit to permanently stationing a brigade inside its borders became a domestic political issue… Germany’s defense minister, Boris Pistorius, promised to station a brigade of 4,000 troops in the country — once Lithuania constructed the necessary infrastructure, including housing, schools and warehouses for ammunition and vehicles… Mr. Pistorius said, ‘Germany, of course, is willing and will be able to take responsibility now for the new eastern flank.’…

“NATO supports Germany’s decision for a brigade in Lithuania… But… most allies would continue to plan for rapid deployment of more forces in a crisis rather than stationing them permanently at the front, partly because of expense and partly out of caution — a war could start with troops in the wrong place, and massed troops could be exposed to a first attack.

“Despite all of the reassurances, the Balts feel vulnerable, given their size and their neighbor. And they feel that their past warnings about the imperial intentions of President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia were played down by larger, more distant allies, like Germany…”

Germany’s dubious role and its declared goals in all of this should not be overlooked.

Erdogan Gives Green Light for Sweden…

The Associated Press wrote on July 10:

“Sweden’s membership of NATO took a big step forward on Monday after Turkey agreed to remove one of the last major roadblocks in return for help in reviving Turkey’s own chances of joining the European Union… President Recep Tayyip Erdogan committed to put the Nordic country’s accession protocol before Parliament ‘as soon as possible,’ the head of NATO said…

“There was no comment from Erdogan on the move, which many saw as linked in part to Turkey’s demands on other issues, particularly Erdogan’s desire for support for European Union membership from European leaders and for F-16 fighter jets from the United States…

“Biden welcomed the agreement and said he will work with Turkey ‘on enhancing defense and deterrence in the Euro-Atlantic area. I look forward to welcoming Prime Minister Kristersson and Sweden as our 32nd NATO Ally.’ Biden’s reference to enhancing Turkey’s defense capability was a nod to Biden’s commitment to help Turkey acquire new F-16s…

“The Biden administration has backed Turkey’s desire to buy 40 new F-16s as well as modernization kits from the U.S…

“In exchange for Turkey’s help with NATO, Sweden has agreed to help unblock Turkey’s progress towards joining the European Union, which has been on hold since 2018… Earlier Monday, Erdogan had warned that he would block Sweden’s attempt to become the 32nd NATO ally unless European members of the military organization ‘pave the way’ for Turkey to join the world’s biggest trading bloc.

“Turkey first applied to join what is now the EU in 1987, but its membership talks have been at a standstill since 2018 due to democratic backsliding during Erdogan’s presidency, concerns about the rule of law and rights abuses, as well as disputes with EU-member Cyprus.

“Of the 31 NATO member countries, 22 are also members of the EU, like Sweden.”

“Erdogan Is Not a Good Person”

Bild Online published on July 11 the following editorial by Franz Josef Wagner:

“The people in his prisons know better. He is a terrible ruler. In Vilnius everyone shook hands with him. They shook hands with a prison guard. Suddenly people are talking benevolently about him… Erdogan is a friend of Putin. Turkey still gets cheap gas from Russia. What kind of two-faced man is Erdogan?…

“Sweden should become a NATO member, Erdogan agreed. He gets his F-16 fighter jets from the USA. The Swedes pass new terror laws. What a great statesman. What a double face. In the Turkish prisons, journalists, lawyers and members of the opposition think every minute about the oppressor Erdogan… Erdogan is not a good person.”

Zelenskiy Failed to Secure NATO Membership

The Guardian wrote on July 11:

“Volodymyr Zelenskiy has failed in a last-ditch effort to secure an invitation for Ukraine to join Nato after leaders of the 31 countries signed off on a declaration that did not give a firm timetable or clear conditions for its eventual membership.

“The frustrated Ukrainian president had accused Joe Biden and other leaders present at a summit in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, of showing disrespect and complained that there was ‘no readiness’ to invite his country to join. But the dramatic lunchtime intervention on Tuesday had no impact on the final summit communique, issued a few hours later. It said that while ‘Ukraine’s future is in Nato’, the alliance would only ‘extend an invitation to Ukraine’ when Kyiv had completed certain ‘democratic and security sector reforms’.

“Zelenskiy said, in a statement issued after the communique: ‘Today I embarked on a trip here with faith in decisions, with faith in partners, with faith in a strong Nato. In a Nato that does not hesitate, does not waste time and does not look back at any aggressor … And I would like this faith to become confidence.’”

Many of the member states also said that Ukraine cannot become a member of NATO until after Ukraine has won the war against Russia.

Disagreements Between USA and United Kingdom

Deutsche Welle wrote on July 8:

“US President Joe Biden’s upcoming European trip, where he will be popping in to see UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, will no doubt reinforce the optics of the ‘special relationship’ between the two countries. At the same time, it will also conceal the underlying fact that London needs Washington far more than vice versa.

“Sunak was, of course, polite and diplomatic when signing the ‘Atlantic Declaration’ with Biden in June, a watered-down version of a full-fledged free trade deal with the United States. But the unilateral recalibration of UK-US ties wasn’t hard to miss. 

“Sunak said a free trade agreement was no longer ‘a priority’ for either side, and his officials said the declaration marked a ‘less sentimental and more pragmatic’ approach to the UK-US ‘special relationship.’ 

“For many, it was a watershed moment — the moment when Brexit’s dreams of unfettered UK global trade came crashing down to earth. For others, it was simply a reminder that the UK outside the European Union is weaker and less attractive to the US.  For Brexiteers in the UK, a free trade deal with the US was one of several promises made before and after the 2016 referendum that have failed to come to fruition. A potential deal with Washington was widely seen as partly compensating for the loss of free access to the EU, the UK’s largest trading partner.

“While the UK struggled to get former US President Donald Trump to walk the talk on his promise of a ‘massive’ trade deal during his time in the White House, it hasn’t been any easier with Biden at the helm. Protectionist pro-American trade policies remain the order of the day. Biden’s irritation with London’s inability to solve its ‘Irish question’ after Brexit has also played a role.

“US businesses are losing confidence in the UK as a place to invest in as a result of Brexit, rising corporate taxes and a year of political turmoil in London…”

The Government of The Netherlands Collapses

Euronews reported on July 9:

“Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte visited the king to turn in the resignation of his four-party coalition. The government collapsed Friday because of irreconcilable differences within the coalition about how to rein in migration, a divisive issue that has split nations across Europe.

“The resignation of Prime Minister Mark Rutte, the longest-serving premier of the nation, means the country will face a general election later this year. Rutte and his government will remain in office in a caretaker capacity until a new ruling coalition is chosen… The decision underscored ideological divisions that existed from the day the coalition was sworn in just over 18 months ago between parties that do not support a strict crackdown on migration…

“Just over 21,500 people from outside Europe sought asylum in the Netherlands in 2022… The numbers have put a strain on housing that already was in short supply in the densely populated country.

“Rutte’s government worked for a law that could compel municipalities to provide accommodations for newly arrived asylum-seekers, but the legislation has yet to pass through both houses of parliament.

“The prime minister also promoted the European Union’s efforts to slow migration to the 27-nation bloc…”

Will the events in The Netherlands find a repetition in Germany? Note the next two articles.

Dissatisfaction With German Government

Die Welt wrote on July 9:

“The week-long dispute [within the German government] has caused approval ratings for the coalition’s policy to continue to fall… the Social Democrats [come] to 19 percent, as in the previous week. The Greens lose a point [and reach]13 percent.

“The FDP remains stable at seven percent. This brings the [governmental] traffic light parties together to 39 percent – less than ever before…

“The Union [CDU] can gain a point and is at 27 percent. The AfD remains at 20 percent, the left at 5 percent. The other parties can unite nine percent of the votes. According to the survey, 70 percent of citizens are dissatisfied with the work of the traffic light government – a new negative record…”

Steinmeier Warns Against AfD

Die Welt wrote on July 9:

“Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has expressed concern about the high poll numbers of the AfD and at the same time warned against pure protest elections…

“The AfD is currently around 20 percent in the nationwide polls – and thus ahead of the Chancellor Party SPD. In Brandenburg, Thuringia and Saxony, where new state parliaments will be elected in just over a year, the AfD is currently the strongest party in the current polls… ‘Yes, the polls are worrying,’ said Steinmeier. ‘But they must not lead us to automatically classify every critical question as populism and right-wing extremism.’

“[He said that] when larger parts of the electorate turn away from the ruling parties and the main opposition party does not win, this raises questions…

“According to Steinmeier, Germany should not block the US-announced delivery of cluster munitions to Ukraine. It is true that this type of ammunition is still banned by the federal government and that Germany is against deliveries, he said. However, ‘in the current situation, Germany cannot stab the USA in the back…’

“With regard to the discussions about arms deliveries to Kiev, the Federal President emphasized that if the country [Ukraine] stops defending itself ‘or if we ensure that they are no longer able to defend themselves, it will be the end of Ukraine.’”

“Our Father” Problematic, Archbishop Says

The Guardian wrote on July 7:

“The archbishop of York has suggested that opening words of the Lord’s Prayer, recited by Christians all over the world for 2,000 years, may be ‘problematic’ because of their patriarchal association. In his opening address to a meeting of the Church of England’s ruling body, the General Synod, Stephen Cottrell dwelt on the words ‘Our Father’, the start of the prayer based on Matthew 6:9–13 and Luke 11:2–4 in the New Testament. ‘I know the word “father” is problematic for those whose experience of earthly fathers has been destructive and abusive, and for all of us who have laboured rather too much from an oppressively patriarchal grip on life,’ he said.

“His comment… will divide members of the C of E, a body whose differences on issues of sexuality, identity and equality have been highly visible for years.

“After Cottrell’s speech, Canon Dr Chris Sugden, chair of the conservative Anglican Mainstream group, pointed out that in the Bible Jesus urged people to pray to ‘our father’. He said: ‘Is the archbishop of York saying Jesus was wrong, or that Jesus was not pastorally aware? It seems to be emblematic of the approach of some church leaders to take their cues from culture rather than scripture.’

“Rev Christina Rees, who campaigned for female bishops, said… ‘The big question is, do we really believe that God believes that male human beings bear his image more fully and accurately than women? The answer is absolutely not.’

“In February, the C o E said it would consider whether to stop referring to God as ‘he,’ after priests asked to be allowed to use gender-neutral terms instead…  saying ‘Christians have recognised since ancient times that God is neither male nor female, yet the variety of ways of addressing and describing God found in scripture has not always been reflected in our worship’…

“One of the most divisive issues within the C of E, same-sex marriage, led to a decision earlier this year to allow clergy to offer services of blessings to gay and lesbian couples who have undergone a civil wedding…”

Breitbart added on July 8:

“The woke Church of England’s latest assault on the tenets of the Christian religion is apparently the Lord’s Prayer… The comments from Cottrell, the second-highest ranking bishop in the Church, come amid a broader push to adopt progressive beliefs from the CoE leadership…

“The issue of the gender of God has also become an increasingly contested debate within the Church of England, with Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, previously declaring that God is ‘gender neutral.’ Welby has often used his position as the principal leader of the Church to push for left-wing issues, notably surrounding illegal immigration and climate change.

“Earlier this year, it was reported that the CoE was planning on establishing a project ‘on gendered language’ in reference to God later, with some suggesting  that phrases like ‘Our Father’ could be replaced by supposedly neutral terms or feminine alternatives in order to combat alleged sexism within the faith.”

The Bible clearly reveals that the God Family consists of God THE FATHER and Jesus Christ THE SON. If the Church of England wants to believe that the Highest in the Godhead is NOT our Father, would they also be teaching that Jesus was not a Male, when here on earth, or that He changed somehow into a “neuter” when He was resurrected? Please read our free booklet, “God the Father Is the Highest”

New Cardinals in the Catholic Church

Thomson/Reuters wrote on July 9:

“Pope Francis (86) on Sunday announced that he would elevate 21 churchmen to the high rank of cardinal, again putting his mark on the group that will one day choose his successor after his death or resignation. The ceremony to install them… will be held on Sept. 30…

“Eighteen of the churchmen are under 80 and will be able to enter an eventual conclave to choose the next pope. The other three, who are over 80 and too old to vote in a conclave, were named to thank them for their long service to the Church. All cardinals, regardless of their age, are allowed to take part in pre-conclave meetings known as General Congregations, giving them a say in the type of person they think their younger brother cardinals should choose.

“The new cardinals come from countries including the United States, Italy, Argentina, South Africa, Spain, Colombia, South Sudan, Hong Kong, Poland, Malaysia, Tanzania, and Portugal. Three of the new cardinals were recently named as heads of major Vatican departments, including Argentine Archbishop Victor Manuel Fernandez, head of the Vatican’s doctrinal department.

“Another significant appointment was that of Bishop Stephen Chow Sau-Yan of Hong Kong. Chow is one of the major links to the Catholic Church in communist China, where the Vatican is trying to improve conditions for Catholics.”

It will be extremely interesting to see who the next pope will be.

Jews Condemn Baker For Not Producing LGBTQ Symbols

JTA wrote on July 6:

“The request for rainbow-frosted cupcakes came from a repeat customer — a local [conservative] synagogue that had relied on the West Orange Bake Shop to make kosher desserts for its special events. But this year, bakery co-owner Yitzy Mittel decided to decline the order. He couldn’t bring himself to produce the Pride-themed goods.

“Mittel, an Orthodox Jew, had made a similar cake for an order the year before. But the experience unnerved him, he told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, because his understanding of Jewish law holds that LGBTQ symbols are ‘antithetical to what we stand for.’ The symbols are ‘a celebration of something which is against Torah,’ he said. ‘I didn’t want to be making that cake.’…

“In the weeks since that decision, Mittel has gotten validation from the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled last week that a Colorado web designer had the right to refuse to build a wedding site for a same-sex couple. The ruling expands on a 2018 decision, in which the court ruled a Colorado baker had the constructional right, on religious grounds, to refuse to create a wedding cake for a gay couple.

“But the local Jewish community is still reeling. Multiple rabbis have accused the baker of bigotry, and some local Jews are boycotting his shop. The area’s Jewish federation privately said it would stop buying from Mittel before publicly walking back its position. And Eshel, an advocacy group for LGBTQ Orthodox Jews and their families, announced an ‘ally training’ in West Orange this coming Sunday in response to the incident…

“The firestorm comes at a time of widespread advocacy by political conservatives against LGBTQ inclusion and rights. Pride events across the country have faced pushback this year.

“Some of that has taken place in Jewish communities. In another New Jersey town 30 miles away, Orthodox rabbis successfully petitioned their mayor to remove the Pride flags that were flying in front of a synagogue on a central street. The mayor later apologized and put the flags back up.

“But what happened in West Orange offers a particularly potent example of how culture wars can play out in — and divide — Jewish communities, in part because of the symbolism of a kosher bakery citing what it says are Jewish values to justify declining the order of a local synagogue. ‘While I know this has happened in other parts of the country I hadn’t expected it here,’ wrote Dan Cohen, senior rabbi of the Reform Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel in nearby South Orange… ‘Then I learned that the bakery in question is a kosher bakery, and as a result, the bias was coming from within our Jewish community.’”

The real scandal is that a Jewish conservative (!) synagogue orders “Pride” cupcakes, and parts of the Jewish community support such a move and condemn the Jewish baker to refuse to produce cupcakes with symbols which were clearly designed to honor the LGBTQ movement (which is condemned by God).

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

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

Rioting in France

Express wrote on June 30:

“France has boosted the number of police on its streets to 45,000 this evening as it braced for more rioting…

“French President Emmanuel Macron also urged parents Friday to keep teenagers at home and blamed social media for fuelling unrest which has spread dramatically across the country since the fatal police shooting of a 17-year-old driver [from a French-Algerian family] earlier this week…

“With dramatic footage of widespread disorder circulating on Twitter, right-wing Dutch commentator Eva Vlaardingerbroek tweeted: ‘It seems like France might have actually entered into the first stages of a civil war as a result of mass migration.”

The U.S. Sun added on June 30:

“Emmanuel Macron was seen boogying at an Elton John gig while Paris descended into chaos amid protests over the ‘execution’ of a teenager. The French leader appeared footloose and fancy-free during Wednesday’s concert while his nation was torched and looted by rioters… as protestors pelted fireworks at police, Macron shamelessly danced to Elton John’s greatest hits at the Accor Arena…

“It is not the first time he has been accused of being tone-deaf to the anger among his people.”

How long will left-wing Macron be able to survive politically?

France to Cut Off Social Media in Times of Trouble?

The Guardian wrote on July 5:

“Emmanuel Macron has said the French government should consider controlling and cutting off social media networks ‘when things get out of hand’ in the country. The president’s comments came as ministers blamed young people using platforms such as Snapchat and TikTok for organising and encouraging rioting and violence after the shooting last week of a teenager during a police traffic stop in a Paris suburb…

“Critics said it would put France alongside authoritarian countries such as China, Russia, Iran and North Korea in considering such measures… Macron reportedly also suggested fining the parents of children involved…”

These are some dangerous proposals.

Muslims in France—a Ghettoized Community

Fox News wrote on July 1:

“‘What’s happening there is the consequence of a failure to integrate the country’s Muslim immigrant population,’ Alan Mendoza, co-founder and executive director of the Henry Jackson Society, told Fox News Digital. ‘The France of legend is far removed from the daily realities of life in a ghettoized community that does not have the same opportunities to progress and succeed as the native population,’ he said. ‘France’s forgotten communities are showing that they will stay forgotten no longer’…

“Secretary-General of Unite SGP Police FO union Gregory Joron said police ‘haven’t seen such urban violence in 18 years in so many cities around France.’

“Police pulled over the teenager, identified only as Nahel M., in the Paris suburb of Nanterre on Tuesday morning. Nahel worked as a delivery driver, but he pulled over to speak with two police officers, who approached his vehicle to explain that he had broken traffic rules, a prosecutor said. The exact spark for the incident remains unclear, partially due to the contradiction of police reports and video that circulated on social media. Police said that Nahel drove his car at one of the officers, while the video shows one of the officers pointing a weapon at him and saying, ‘You are going to get a bullet in the head,’ according to France24.

“Nahel drove a yellow Mercedes. [He] had two passengers in the car and no license on him at the time. He reportedly had been placed in detention for refusing to comply with a previous traffic stop and was scheduled to appear in juvenile court in September. The officer then appears to shoot Nahel as the car suddenly pulls away, traveling only a short distance before crashing, with Nahel dying at the scene. Police took the offending officer into custody and opened an investigation into charges of voluntary manslaughter, with charges brought against him on Friday.

“Reuters reported that in an interview with French television the police officer’s lawyer Laurent-Franck Lienard, said his client had aimed at the driver’s leg but was bumped when the car took off, causing him to shoot towards his chest. ‘Obviously (the officer) didn’t want to kill the driver,’ he said according to the report…

“Macron has provided a mixed response to the crisis, initially describing the shooting as ‘inexplicable’ and ‘unforgivable’ but then decrying the protests and blaming everything from social media to video games for the increasing violence. Macron argued that social media platforms, including TikTok, Snapchat and others, helped fuel the riots… Macron also denied there was systemic racism within the country’s law enforcement services.

“Nahel’s mother accused the police of responding violently to ‘an Arab face,’ drawing attention to the underlying tension between what some observers say is a massive and underserved North African, mainly Muslim, immigrant population and the police.

“While he had no criminal record, Nahel had been subject to five police checks since 2021 and had refused to comply with an order to stop. Most of the stops involved either driving without a license or insurance and using false number plates…”

So, there may be more to the unfortunate killing of Nahel than meets the eye. The ensuing protests may have little to do with this occurrence.

Muslim Rage

Israel Today wrote on July 2:

“Let’s see how the French deal with their own nationwide unrest. Foreign media is quick to point out that the ‘riots came after police violence in France.’ So we are supposed to have some kind of understanding for the violence due to an act of police violence? To what end? To excuse this Muslim outburst of violence and pretend like France’s Muslim population is otherwise perfectly peaceful?

“A 17-year-old Muslim was killed by a French police bullet, sparking the current riots. Can France be set on fire because of this? Surely not…

“France is burning. In the numerous videos, the country looks like it is at war. Vehicles and houses burned in Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Strasbourg and other cities. Numerous stores were looted, including Apple. More than 1,300 rioters were arrested and 79 police officers were injured. In addition, 31 police stations were attacked. Thousands of cars have been set on fire and 2,560 fires are believed to have broken out on public roads, the French Interior Ministry said yesterday. Over 45,000 police officers were mobilized nationwide. Due to the ongoing intifada in France, President Emmanuel Macron has canceled his two-day state visit to Germany…

“According to official figures, around five million Muslims live in France today, which makes up 8.2 percent of France’s total population (60.5 million). Unofficially, however, there is talk of more than 10 percent Muslims in France… Today it is even estimated that there are around 50 million Muslims in Europe.

“Anyone who knows me knows that I have many Muslim friends and acquaintances, both in Israel and in Sinai. But what is happening in France now and could break out across Europe at any moment is a real danger for the Christian Occident. I know not all of our readers see Europe as ‘Christian,’ for Europe has broken away from the Christian faith in general. But the point is that for the Muslims who are now plundering and burning France, Europe is a Christian continent. In the Arab press they even still refer to Europeans as ‘Crusaders.’

“Earlier last week, a 37-year-old Iraqi immigrant burned pages from the Koran in Stockholm, Sweden, and announced further actions of this kind. The Islamic world reacted with outrage. Demonstrators stormed the Swedish embassy in Baghdad. Morocco withdrew its ambassador. Erdogan condemned the burning with sharp words. When the Bible is blasphemed, the Christian world does not freak out, nor does the Jewish community worldwide….”

Antisemitism in France

Israel Today wrote on July 2:

“Israel is closely monitoring and deeply concerned about ‘waves of antisemitism sweeping over France,’ Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during Sunday’s weekly Cabinet meeting. ‘In recent days, we have witnessed criminal assaults against Jewish targets. We strongly condemn these attacks and support the French government in its fight against antisemitism,’ he added…

“Rioters in areas with large Muslim populations have torched cars and looted shops, clashing with police and causing hundreds of injuries… Antisemitic chants have been heard during riots and Jewish businesses were ransacked in the Paris suburb of Sarcelles, dubbed ‘little Jerusalem’ due to its large Jewish population… Jews have been targeted repeatedly in France… Outwardly identifiable Jews have routinely been attacked in cities across the country.”

France is a powder keg ready to explode at any moment. France would need a strong leader to avoid these occurrences from happening again and again. But Macron is not such a strong leader…

The Rise of the Right in Europe

BBC News wrote on June 29:

“… the EU’s third largest economy, Italy, is run by Giorgia Meloni, head of a party with neo-fascist roots. In Finland, after 3 months of debate, the far-right nationalists The Finns recently joined the coalition government. In Sweden the firmly anti-immigration, anti-multiculturalism Sweden Democrats are the second largest party in parliament, propping up the right-wing coalition government there.

“In Greece last Sunday three hard-right parties won enough seats to enter parliament, while in Spain, the controversial nationalist Vox Party – the first successful far-right party in Spain since the death of fascist dictator Francisco Franco in 1975 – outperformed all expectations in recent regional elections…

“Then there are the ultra-conservative, authoritarian-leaning governments in Poland and in Hungary... Including even Germany… Polls there now put the far right AfD just ahead of, or neck and neck with, Chancellor Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD)…

“So what’s happening? Are millions upon millions of European voters really swerving far-right? Or is this more of a protest vote?…

“On the one hand, many a mainstream politician has in recent years grabbed slogans or stances from the far-right, hoping to rob them of their supporters. But by doing so they help make the far right seem more mainstream. While at the same time, a number of far-right parties in Europe have intentionally moved more towards the political centre, hoping to entice more centrist voters…

“Polls suggest the EU is more popular amongst Europeans at the moment than it has been for years. And so far right parties now speak about reforming the EU, rather than leaving it. And they’re predicted to perform strongly in next year’s elections for the European parliament…”

Of course, many parties and governments in Europe, being referred to as “mainstream,” are in reality far-left socialists or even Marxists.

More Success For the AfD

Deutsche Welle wrote on July 3:

“German politicians and media are once again fretting about the rise of far-right populism in the country, after two local runoff votes in eastern Germany were won by the… AfD, the country’s most successful far-right party since World War II.

“On Sunday evening, the AfD’s Hannes Loth beat independent candidate Nils Naumann in the small town of Raguhn-Jessnitz, Saxony-Anhalt, to become the AfD’s first ever mayor in Germany. This came a week after the AfD’s Robert Sesselmann won a similar runoff in the district of Sonneberg, Thuringia.

“Though the two districts are relatively small, the results are considered significant because they confirm a trend in national polls: The far-right party can now claim the approval of 20% of German voters, the same as Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s center-left Social Democrats…

“Chancellor Scholz insists the AfD’s rise has nothing to do with any troubles in his government, but the party that arguably faces the biggest dilemma is the center-right… CDU, which, despite leading in the polls, is struggling to profit from the wrangling of the coalition government. CDU leader Friedrich Merz has been forced to retreat from his promise, made in 2019, that he would halve the AfD’s voter base…

“… many German voters appear to be undeterred… by the fact that the party is under surveillance as a potential threat to the country’s constitutional order… a lot of Germans — especially but not only in eastern Germany — maintain a critical attitude toward the intelligence agency…  They say: Well, we’ve had enough experience with the Stasi [secret service of the communist East German regime 1949-1990], we won’t let anyone prescribe to us what is right and wrong…”

This should come as no surprise when considering the past and current activities of Germany’s past and present intelligence agencies.

US Supreme Court: No Student Loan Forgiveness

The Daily Mail wrote on June 30:

“The Supreme Court has struck down President Joe Biden’s $400 billion student loans forgiveness plan in another bombshell decision. The justices ruled 6-3 Biden’s controversial plan to wipe out debts for 26 million Americans at taxpayers’ expense was unconstitutional and an overreach of his executive power. The plan would have eradicated $10,000 in debt for borrowers earning less than $125,000 and up to $20,000 for those with Pell Grants. But it was challenged by six Republican states and two borrowers who argued Biden should have sought approval from Congress for a plan using substantial taxpayer funds. 

“Chief Justice John Roberts agreed and said in the majority opinion that a move ‘requires that Congress speak clearly before a Department (of Education) Secretary can unilaterally alter large sections of the American economy.’ 

“President Biden called the decision ‘disappointing’ and ‘wrong’ and vowed to fight back in a statement released hours after the ruling came down…

“Former President Trump’s Education Secretary Betsy DeVos told DailyMail.com in a statement following the decision that ‘everyone knew the debt scheme was illegal,’ including Biden himself… The former secretary said the ‘ploy’ by the Biden administration was also ‘deeply unfair to the majority of Americans who don’t have student loans, and equally concerning, would have only exacerbated the problem of ever-rising college tuition.’

“House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., added in a tweet that Biden ‘must follow the law.’ ‘President Biden’s student loan giveaway is ruled UNLAWFUL. The 87% of Americans without student loans are no longer forced to pay for the 13% who do.”

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Slams Joe Biden on the Student Debt Issue

Breitbart wrote on June 30:

“Democrat presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. slammed President Joe Biden for failing to ‘bring Congress together’ on the student debt issue after the Supreme Court struck down Biden’s attempted debt transfer… Kennedy said the Court’s decision was ‘the predictable result of Biden’s failure to bring Congress together on this issue of crucial importance to young Americans.’ ‘President Biden knew his plan wouldn’t survive a legal challenge. His plan gave the appearance of action, while accomplishing nothing,’ Kennedy added.

“Biden responded to a reporter’s question on Friday and insisted he ‘didn’t give borrowers false hope,’ [adding that] the Republicans snatched away the hope that they were given and it’s real hope.’ Biden then claimed the Court ‘misinterpreted the Constitution’ when a reporter asked if he overstepped his presidential authority…

“Kennedy also promised to work on reducing the cost of higher education… ‘If we devoted even a fraction of our military budget to higher education, it could be virtually free to all (as it is in many other countries)… Let’s invest in America’s young people instead of in the forever wars,’ the Democrat presidential nominee added.”

How true! But the investment in forever wars is not something which Biden and many Democrats [or Republicans] would want to give up.

Biden’s and the Democrats’ Contempt for the Constitution

Fox News wrote on June 30:

“Fox News contributor [and Law Professor] Jonathan Turley joined ‘America’s Newsroom’ Friday after the Supreme Court struck down President Biden’s student loan relief plan. Turley said the decision is the latest instance where the administration ‘overreached on their authority,’ calling it ‘absurd’ for Biden to enact the plan without Congress’ approval…

“‘This is a huge defeat for the Biden administration, politically and legally. It is only the latest such defeat where the president has overreached on his authority. Previously, the president argued that he could use the CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] as the basis for the eviction moratorium during the pandemic, even though many of us said that he clearly lacked that authority, he went ahead and did it anyway. In fact, he admitted that by the time the courts might strike down his efforts, he could get a lot of money out the door. Well, that’s a level of contempt that does not sit well with courts.

“‘In this case, you have the Heroes Act, which is just a few pages long, and was clearly designed to help people who are serving abroad in military conflicts so that they didn’t have to worry about their college tuition payments. The use of the Heroes Act for this massive loan forgiveness program was absurd, and bordered on the obscene. I mean, it was clear that they could not get this through Congress and that they decided to come up with this novel theory to circumvent Congress. What was really unbelievable to watch is that the Democrats applauded him for that. He essentially made Congress a functional nonentity and half of Congress gave him a standing ovation.’”

As we pointed out on numerous occasions, the USA, under Joe Biden and his colleagues, is becoming more and more a dictatorship.

US Supreme Court Sides With Designer Against Same-Sex Couples

The Associated Press wrote on June 30:

“In a defeat for gay rights, the Supreme Courts’ conservative majority ruled on Friday that a Christian graphic artist who wants to design wedding websites can refuse to work with same-sex couples…

“The court ruled 6-3 for designer Lorie Smith, saying she can refuse to design websites for same-sex weddings despite a Colorado law that bars discrimination based on sexual orientation, race, gender and other characteristics. The court said forcing her to create the websites would violate her free speech rights under the Constitution’s First Amendment.

“The decision suggests that artists, photographers, videographers and writers are among those who can refuse to offer what the court called expressive services if doing so would run contrary to their beliefs. But that’s different from other businesses not engaged in speech and therefore not covered by the First Amendment, such as restaurants and hotels…

“The decision is a win for religious rights and one in a series of cases in recent years in which the justices have sided with religious plaintiffs. Last year, for example, the court ruled along ideological lines for a football coach who prayed on the field at his public high school after games. And on Thursday the court in a unanimous decision used the case of a Christian mail carrier who did not want to deliver Amazon packages on Sundays to solidify protections for workers who ask for religious accommodations… [See discussion below.]

“President Joe Biden said in a statement that the ruling was ‘disappointing’…”

So, President Biden, a confessing and practicing Catholic, finds it disappointing when a decision is rendered by the US Supreme Court which upholds Catholic doctrine? Biden also said that this court was not “normal.” So, is it normal, then, for a confessing and practicing Catholic to disagree with the doctrines of his church?

Are Orthodox Christians or Gays Disfavored?

The New York Post published on June 30 the following opinion by David Harsanyi:

“First, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson releases a blistering defense of racial discrimination in her dissent from the Supreme Court’s affirmative-action decision Thursday. Then, on Friday, Justice Sonia Sotomayor puts out a largely incoherent defense of state-compelled speech in commercial life… As soon as the Supreme Court ruled in favor of a Christian web designer named Lorie Smith, who had refused to create a gay wedding site, CNN blasted out this headline: ‘Supreme Court limits LGBTQ protections’…

“Lorie Smith never turned away a customer because of their sexual preference or skin color or religious belief or anything else: She refused to create a message celebrating an event that conflicted with her sincerely held religious convictions. She was practicing her First Amendment rights.

“It’s an easy contention to prove. If a straight person had tried to commission a same-sex wedding site, Smith would have turned them away, as well…

“Think about it this way: A devout orthodox Christian — or Jew or Muslim — walks into a gay-owned bakery and demands the proprietor create a cake with the message, ‘Homosexuality is a sin in the eyes of God.’ Should that baker be forced to make it?

“Christians, after all, are also a protected group under anti-discrimination laws. If the gay bakery refused, would it be discrimination or an issue of free expression?…

“The sitting president of the United States flies pride flags right next to American ones on the South Lawn of the White House while virtually every major corporation pays its respects on pride month. If any group is disfavored in American life right now, it’s the orthodox Christian…”

If a Catholic President can behave in the way he does, with support of other Catholic Democrats, then it is very true that orthodox Christians who accept the Bible as their guide, are a disfavored group in this country.

US Supreme Court Decision on Accommodation Gains Huge Support

JTA wrote on June 29:

“In a case that drew support from a broad array of Jewish groups, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that employers had to show a ‘substantial’ burden to deny workers religious accommodation.

“In a decision released Thursday, the court sided with Gerald Groff, an evangelical Christian mail carrier who asked not to work on Sundays, his Sabbath. Jewish groups that do not often line up on the same side of church-state issues before the court were of a single voice in this case.

“Justice Samuel Alito, writing the opinion, sought to substantially narrow a 1977 decision that faith groups have for years said is so broad in setting the standard for religious accommodation that it is meaningless. ‘We think it is enough to say that an employer must show that the burden of granting an accommodation would result in substantial increased costs in relation to the conduct of its particular business,’ Alito said.

“The previous decision had said that ‘to require TWA to bear more than a de minimis cost in order to give Hardison Saturdays off is an undue hardship.’ (The now defunct airline in that case was the employer and Larry Hardison was the employee seeking the Sabbath off.) With this ruling ‘substantial’ effectively replaces ‘de minimus,’ or ‘minimal,’ as the standard.

“The decision will have far-reaching consequences for Orthodox Jews, said Mitchel Aeder, the Orthodox Union’s president. ‘Members of our community require accommodations for Sabbath and holiday observance, times to pray, the ability to keep kosher, and the like,’ he said in a statement. ‘Such accommodations enable us to be not only faithful Jews but productive workers and members of American society. That is why the Orthodox Union advocated to the Court in support of Mr. Groff and why we welcome this landmark ruling.’…

“‘Not every belief or practice can be accommodated, but experience has shown that with some effort and goodwill, most can,’ Marc Stern, the AJC’s [American Jewish Committee’s] chief legal officer, said in an email. ‘The court’s insistence that hardship on employers means substantial hardship and not de minimis hardship, puts real teeth into the law.’”

It will remain to be seen whether employers will take to heart the decision of the Supreme Court, or whether they will try to circumvent the law, hoping that many employees will cave in or refuse to take legal action.

The Fury of the Left

CNN published the following opinion and analysis by Stephen Collinson:

“Conservatives – despite their limited federal elected power – racked up another huge win in the great political battle of the early 21st century. The Supreme Court’s gutting of affirmative action in college admissions on Thursday toppled another pillar of America’s liberal social infrastructure. Two more setbacks followed on Friday: the high court struck down the Biden administration’s student loan forgiveness program and dealt a blow to LGBTQ rights when it sided with a Christian web designer in Colorado who refuses to create websites to celebrate same-sex weddings out of religious objections…

“The decision saying colleges can no longer take race into account as a specific basis for admissions… sent shockwaves across the country. It was a generational decision comparable to another precedent-busting move a year ago, when the court’s conservative majority took away the constitutional right to an abortion by throwing out the half-century-old, society-molding decision of Roe v. Wade… ‘This is not a normal court,’ Biden said…

“But not all of the court’s recent decisions have infuriated the White House and Democrats. Earlier this week, for instance, liberals were hugely relieved when the court rejected a long-dormant legal theory that held that state courts and other state entities have a limited role in reviewing election rules established by state legislatures when it comes to federal elections…”

For the record, there is no constitutional right to an abortion. Rather, there is a constitutional right to life—the life of the unborn child. And what the Supreme Court addressed was the [unconstitutional] use of affirmative action in college admissions in favor of (some) minorities (mainly black) for the purpose of discriminating against other equally or even more qualified applicants (mostly white).

Temporary Injunction Against Biden Administration Another Big Blow

Breitbart wrote on July 4:

“Federal Judge Terry A. Doughty issued a temporary injunction on Independence Day blocking members of the Biden administration from having further contact with social media companies during a censorship trial.

“The judge, an appointee of President Donald Trump, is presiding over a case brought by Missouri and Louisiana challenging federal efforts to block alleged misinformation about the coronavirus and elections on social media. Critics allege that the federal government censored free speech, using private companies to carry out actions that it cannot take under the First Amendment. In so doing, critics say, the government stifled scientific debate, and weaponized social media platforms to help Democrats and hurt Republicans in recent elections.

“The Washington Post reported Tuesday: ‘The injunction was a victory for the state attorneys general, who have accused the Biden administration of enabling a ‘sprawling federal “Censorship Enterprise’” to encourage tech giants to remove politically unfavorable viewpoints and speakers, and for conservatives who’ve accused the government of suppressing their speech…”

“In his order, the judge made some exceptions for communications between the government officials and the companies, including to warn them of national security threats or criminal activity.”

Fox News added on July 5:

“Former White House press secretary and current MSNBC host Jen Psaki was named several times by a federal judge who is temporarily preventing White House officials from meeting with tech companies about social media censorship. The injunction said that Psaki ‘publicly began pushing Facebook and other social-media platforms to censor COVID-19 misinformation’ on May 5, 2021. ‘At a White House Press Conference, Psaki publicly reminded Facebook and other social-media platforms of the threat of “legal consequences” if they do not censor misinformation more aggressively,’ it continued…

“Doughty is barring several federal officials and agencies – including some of Biden’s Cabinet members and White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre – from contacting social media companies in efforts to suppress speech. The injunction also states that the government’s actions ‘likely violate the Free Speech Clause’… ‘If the allegations made by Plaintiffs are true, the present case arguably involves the most massive attack against free speech in United States’ history,’ the injunction said. ‘In their attempts to suppress alleged disinformation, the Federal Government, and particularly the Defendants named here, are alleged to have blatantly ignored the First Amendment’s right to free speech.’”

Is there finally the day of reckoning coming?

President Biden Keeps Denying…

Breitbart wrote on June 30:

“President Joe Biden has denied his involvement in the Biden family business nine times over four years. While at least 23 instances of evidence directly contradict his claims, including but not limited to photos, texts, an audio recording, and IRS and former business partner whistleblower testimonies, Joe Biden remains steadfast in insisting that many established facts do not mean he was somehow involved in the family’s overseas business. The list of denials begins in 2019 when he ran for president.”

Breitbart then listed Biden’s denials on May 13, 2019; August 28, 2019; September 19, 2019; October 4, 2019; October 22, 2020; June 8, 2023; June 14, 2023; June 26, 2023, and the latest (so far) on June 28, 2023. In regard to that latest denial, Breitbart stated:

“While speaking outside the White House, reporters swarmed the president with questions about his involvement with the family business in response to whistleblower testimony to Congress that his name was thrown around in his son’s deals. ‘How involved were you in your son’s Chinese shake-down text message? Were you sitting there? Were you involved?’ a reporter asked. ‘No, I wasn’t.’ ‘Were you?’ a second reporter asked. ‘No!’ Biden shouted back.”

It appears that Biden said he was not sitting next to Hunter when the WhatsApp message was sent, calling his son, in effect, a liar. But it is doubtful that Biden really intended to answer that question in that way. How long can Biden continue to try to keep the American people in the dark? Note the next article.

White House Evades Tough Questions About Hunter Biden

The Washington Times wrote on June 26:

“James Rosen, White House correspondent for Newsmax TV, asked National Security Council spokesman John Kirby in a recent presser about the curious WhatsApp message from Hunter Biden to his communist-tied Chinese buddy Henry Zhao that seems to implicate Joe Biden in his son’s scandalous business dealings — specifically, that Joe Biden has lied repeatedly by claiming zero knowledge of his son’s overseas’ dealings — and Kirby ran like a little girl from the podium. This must be the approved talking point by the Democrats’ war room: When asked about Hunter — gather your skirts and run! ‘Cause Kirby’s not the only one doing it.

[In the WhatsApp message, Hunter claimed to be sitting next to his father when writing the threatening message to Zhao, demanding payment.]

“He was replaced by a dismissive White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre who was then asked the same question Kirby avoided — and she booted, deflected, avoided and then got really ticked; no doubt, even more ticked when other reporters in the White House briefing room wouldn’t let the matter drop. ‘Was the president there or not?’ asked an off-camera female journalist, following on Rosen’s line of questioning that went unanswered. ‘I will refer you to my colleagues. They have addressed this and I will refer you to them,’ Jean-Pierre said.

“Only — they haven’t.

“The White House hasn’t really explained the matter of the WhatsApp message that, if taken at face value, shows Joe Biden being used as a bulldog by his son to threaten communists into paying up, or paying — some unstated price… ‘White House STILL insists Joe was not involved in Hunter’s business dealings as Karine Jean-Pierre is hit with [a] barrage of questions on WhatsApp message to Chinese businessman and his state dinner invitation,’ the Daily Mail wrote in a recent headline…

“And that is why the White House is behaving like frightened little girls. They understand all too well where this could lead.”

In fact, the evidence suggests that Joe Biden was involved, that he lied about this to the American people on numerous occasions, and that America’s security interests have been compromised.

“Now the Gloves Are Off”

Newsmax wrote on July 2:

“The Biden Justice Department is reportedly preparing a superseding indictment of 30-45 more charges against former President Donald Trump, fearing a Trump-appointed judge might rule unfavorably against it. The scope of the charges could potentially bring the presidential documents case to another jurisdiction and include charges against Trump-tied associates, sources told The Independent.  

“According to the report, the DOJ fears Southern District of Florida Judge Aileen Cannon – randomly selected for the case – might give deference to the former president. Trump is already facing a 37-count federal indictment delivered by special counsel Jack Smith. Among the charges are 31 counts of willful retainment of military documents under the Espionage Act of 1917. Trump argues he was permitted to possess those documents under the civil statute of the Presidential Records Act, as determined by the precedent of the former President Bill ‘Clinton socks case’ which was ruled around a decade ago by Judge Amy Berman Jackson, appointed by President Barack Obama…

“The special counsel’s team is apparently also considering bringing charges against attorneys for Trump, including those defending him during the 2020 presidential election challenge, like former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Giuliani was the Trump-directed attorney who unearthed Ukraine/Burisma corruption allegations against Joe Biden when Trump was still in the White House. The Biden DOJ, facing allegations it has throttled back investigations into the Bidens, now might move forward with charges against the one who began looking into the Biden family’s connection to Ukraine…

“Trump had, until recently, vowed not to prosecute his political opponent… ‘when they indicted me for nothing, I said, “Now the gloves are off,'” Trump told a Pickens, South Carolina, rally Saturday… ‘Now we have to say it like it is. He’s a crook… it’s crooked Joe, because it’s a much more appropriate name right now for this man who’s just destroying our country.’”

How is it that many cannot or do not want to see what is really behind these contemplated additional charges against Trump and his attorneys?

USA and UK… a Troubled Relationship

AFP wrote on July 2:

“US President Joe Biden…is set to depart on July 9 for Britain…

“The stop in London will offer the veteran Democrat a chance to meet with King Charles III for the first time since the monarch’s coronation, as well as hold more talks with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, a month after his Washington visit.”

Nile Gardener wrote in The Telegraph, on July 1:

“Is there no end to Joe Biden’s sneering disdain towards this great country? The man who I see as far and away the most anti-British occupant of the White House in the modern era made his agenda clear on day one of his presidency, when he ordered the removal of Winston Churchill’s bust from the Oval Office…

“Joe Biden’s shameful mistreatment of Britain is a monumental folly. It is symbolic of his wider US foreign policy: weak, rudderless and lacking in any grand vision.”

Despite the idea that the relationship between the USA and the UK is “strong,” the opposite is the case… and that is a development which has been prophesied to occur in the end time.

King Charles Crowned King of Scotland

The Daily Mail wrote on July 5:

“King Charles was presented with the crown jewels of Scotland in a historic thanksgiving serving today before he and Queen Camilla stood side by side with the Prince and Princess of Wales to watch a Red Arrows flypast.  

“The monarch received the Crown of Scotland, the Sceptre and the Sword of State of the Honours of Scotland – the country’s crown jewels – at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh eight weeks after his crowning at Westminster Abbey…

“The Right Reverend Sally Foster-Fulton, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, delivered the sermon, in which she called for action to tackle global warming to stop the world ‘baking to a crisp’…

“During the processions activists loudly booed and shouted ‘Not My King’ from a protest spot yards from the Royal Mile – leading to criticism from royalists who believe they should have been given a less prominent location…”

“Consisting of the priceless crown, sceptre and Sword of State, the Honours of Scotland were first used together at a Coronation in 1543 for Mary, Queen of Scots when she was just nine months old. They were later used to crown her son, James VI – who went on to become James I of England – in 1567, Charles I in 1633 and Charles II in 1651. The Crown of Scotland… was placed on the coffin of the late Queen during a moving service at St Giles’ Cathedral after her death last year.

“… the sceptre was a gift from Pope Alexander VI to James IV in 1494. It was re-modelled and lengthened in 1536 and has small figures of the Virgin and Child, St James and St Andrew as well as a polished globe of rock crystal.

“The Sword of State was also a papal gift from Pope Julius II to James IV in 1507 and the blade features figures of St Peter and St Paul and Pope Julius’s inscription…

“Scotland’s crown jewels have not had a smooth or easy journey to their present-day display cabinet at Edinburgh Castle. In mid-17th century, the hoard had to be hidden from Oliver Cromwell – who had already melted down the English Crown Jewels – and they were taken to Dunnottar Castle in Aberdeenshire before being buried in a nearby church…”

America’s Forever Wars

The Future of Freedom Foundation wrote on June 29:

“There are multiple problems facing our nation…

“Consisting of the Pentagon, the vast military-industrial complex, the enormous empire of domestic and foreign military bases, the CIA, and the NSA, along with its foreign policy of interventionism, the national-security establishment is the root cause of the perpetual wars in which the United States has been embroiled since 1947…

“The Cold War. The Korean War. The Vietnam War. The Persian Gulf War. The war on terrorism. The war on Islam. The War on Afghanistan. The War on Iraq. The war on Syria. The war on Yemen. The war on China. The war on Iran. Multiple military incursions. Multiple coups and state-sponsored assassinations. And now the renewed Cold War on Russia, which has gotten us perilously close to all-out, life-destroying nuclear war, just like it did back in October 1962.

“Of course, there is lots of focus on ending America’s ‘endless wars.’… Ending one forever war accomplishes nothing from a long-term perspective because always around the corner is another forever war…

“A national-security state necessarily depends on forever wars or, at the very least, crises, dangers, and threats from official enemies, adversaries, opponents, and competitors in order to justify its existence and its ever-growing taxpayer-funded largess… There is, of course, the out-of-control federal spending, debt, and monetary debauchery that comes with all this to consider… It’s also the warfare state, which is costing American taxpayers close to a trillion dollars a year…”

Sadly, America will continue to conduct or be engaged in its “forever” wars until it is defeated in World War III.

Firebrand Marjorie Taylor Greene Sparks Controversy… Again…

Newsweek wrote on June 30:

“Marjorie Taylor Greene has sparked controversy by accusing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is Jewish, of having a ‘Nazi army.’

“The House Republican made the comment via Twitter on Thursday, in response to Zelensky holding a meeting with Greta Thunberg and other environmental campaigners in Kyiv.

“Russian President Vladimir Putin has sought to justify his invasion of Ukraine by claiming he is trying to ‘denazify’ the country… Russian state media has continued to spread the conspiracy theory that Ukraine is secretly colluding with Nazis…

“Greene commentated:

“‘Somehow this makes so much sense [meeting with Greta] from the actor wearing army green every day, fully funded by U.S. warmongers, and who just recently canceled elections, controls his state media, and has a Nazi army.’

“… former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson labeled the Ukrainian leader a demagogue, though others pointed out there is a track record of democracies not holding elections when they face an existential threat, such as Britain, which postponed parliamentary elections for most of World War II.

“Greene’s comments sparked a mostly negative response from other social media users… However, not everyone responded to Greene so negatively…”

The optics of Zelensky meeting with Greta Thunberg on the same day when He met with former Vice President Pence are clearly not good. It is interesting that elections have been placed on hold in times of war, such as was the case in Britain during World War II. Could the same happen in the USA?

Ron DeSantis Under Fire

Breitbart wrote on July 1:

“Gov. Ron DeSantis’s (R-FL) presidential campaign is coming under fire across the political spectrum for its ‘pride month’ campaign video, released on the last day of what society has deemed ‘pride month.’

“The ad begins by featuring former President Donald Trump touting a commitment to ‘protect’ LGBTQ citizens. It also highlights Caitlyn Jenner’s meeting with Trump and a drag queen saying, ‘Make America Great Again.’ The ad then cuts to an image of DeSantis with lightning coming out of his eyes with the caption, ‘No.’ The infamous ‘Giga Chad’ meme appears on the screen before the ad highlights headlines of the actions taken by DeSantis opposing the LGBTQ agenda.

“DeSantis Signs ‘Most Extreme Slate of Anti-Trans Laws in Modern History,’” one headline reads… The ad features more headlines, including DeSantis’s efforts to shut down drag events geared toward children and signing what the HuffPost deemed a ‘draconian anti-Trans bathroom bill’ into law.

“It continued to showcase leftist outrage against DeSantis for taking such ‘draconian’ actions to push against the LGBTQ agenda.

“Some on the right, however, were turned off by the campaign video. The Log Cabin Republicans, a Republican LGBTQ group, deemed the campaign’s video ‘divisive and desperate.’ ‘Republicans and other commonsense conservatives know Ron Desantis [sic] has alienated swing-state and younger voters,’ the organization wrote… ‘Ron DeSantis’ extreme rhetoric…has just ventured into homophobic territory,’ it continued, warning that DeSantis’ rhetoric ‘will lose hard-fought gains in critical races across the nation… Ron DeSantis and his team can’t tell the difference between commonsense gays and the radical Left gays... His naive policy positions are dangerous and politically stupid.’

“… former U.S. Ambassador Richard Grenell [who is openly gay, called] the DeSantis video ‘undeniably homophobic.’” [Homophobic means, showing fear, hatred or dislike of or prejudice against gay people.]

Is it all because of the votes?

Modern Sodom and Gomorrah

LifeSiteNews wrote on July 1:

“In a less than five-minute Twitter monologue on Friday, Tucker Carlson… observed that the ‘Pride’ campaign being imposed by the powerful is ‘just another religious war’ between ‘the people who think they’re God versus everybody else,’ and the first category includes ‘virtually everybody… in a position of authority in the United States.’…

“‘People assumed there were consequences to pretending that you were God. They thought Sodom and Gomorrah were real places that were destroyed for disobedience,’ he said, referring to the account in Genesis 19 when God destroyed these cities with ‘brimstone and fire’ for the sins of unnatural sexual practices.

“Such peoples ‘imagined the same thing could happen to them’ if they violated God’s law, Carlson said.”

As Carlson implies, many do not believe today in the literal occurrence of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, thereby rejecting the clear testimony of the Bible and the fact that God has given us rules which we must obey.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s. Stance on Abortion

International Family News wrote on July 3:

“Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has reiterated his support for abortion rights, despite his belief that ‘every abortion is a tragedy.’… Kennedy argued that the government should not be involved in decisions that belong to women and advocated for medical freedom and bodily autonomy. He acknowledged that he finds third-term abortions appalling and expressed a desire to end them in other ways, although he did not specify his stance on government intervention at various stages of pregnancy.

“Kennedy’s stance on abortion has garnered support from some Democrats, with a recent poll showing that 52% of Democrats support his candidacy. This support could potentially pose a challenge to President Joe Biden’s 2024 run, given his current polling weakness and historical precedent of sitting presidents losing general elections after facing primary challengers…

“Kennedy’s focus on bodily autonomy ignores the fact that abortion ends the life of a genetically distinct human being. His organization… should extend its mission to include protection for preborn children from the moment of conception.”

Absolutely. Kennedy’s current position on abortion is clearly wrong.

The Dangerous Stupidity of the Woke Nonsense

The Daily Mail wrote on June 22:

“Britain’s strictest headteacher has said children allowed to self-identify as animals, moons and holograms should be moved to another school by their parents.  Katharine Birbalsingh, founder of the Michaela School in west London, said she was aware of a child at one school who identified as a gay male hologram – and at least one school where a group of students identified as cats. She claimed the ‘issue’ was widespread but that people are unaware because teachers are ‘not allowed to tell you’. 

“The headteacher, who said she has no pupils identifying as animals at her own school, said it is a ‘societal problem’ where teachers and parents have allowed children to lead the way. Her comments come after a recording revealed the moment a schoolteacher branded a [13 year old] pupil ‘despicable’ after they rejected a classmate’s claim that she identified as a cat…

“Ms Birbalsingh says parents should act quickly if schools tolerated children wanting to be recognised as animals… She also retweeted a tweet from a parent which said: ‘A girl at my daughters school identifies as a Wolf. It’s real. A fact. I doubt she is the only person in the UK.’”

This sounds like Grimm’s fairy tales. Where are the parents and the teachers who allow their young kids to adopt this kind of nonsense? Shame on them for abrogating their duty! Of course, governments and the left-wing mass media are also to be blamed for the encouragement of such dangerous nonsense.  

Isaiah 3:12 comes to mind: “Children are the masters of My people, and women rule over them” (Luther Bible 1984).

Note the next article.

Religious Persecution in Europe and Elsewhere

Catholic News Agency wrote on June 27:

“Although the most severe cases of religious persecution are currently taking place in certain African and Asian countries, the 2023 Religious Freedom in the World report highlighted dangerous trends within Europe and the Western world. The report… showed a rising trend in compelled speech, hate speech laws, censorship, the rise of cancel culture, and a growing intolerance toward some faith-based views in the West.

“The Catholic organization is also following threats in Ukraine to religious freedom from the Ukrainian, Belarusian, and Russian governments amid the ongoing war. In some African and Asian countries, the persecution is often more direct, such as China’s internment of Uyghur Muslims or Nigerian Islamists slaughtering Christians. In Western countries, policies that discriminate against religious groups are more subtle…

“ACN-USA Director of Outreach Edward Clancy… cited examples such as a U.K. doctor who lost his job for refusing to use preferred pronouns, French laws that have restricted religious symbols in certain public places, and COVID-19 restrictions that put harsher rules on religious gatherings than other functions, such as in New York.

“On the subject of cancel culture, the report notes that the rejection of new concepts about gender have subjected people to threats of ‘legal sanction’ in some Western countries and that ‘laws have been introduced, such as hate speech, to legally enforce and entrench these concepts as new [human] rights.’

“The report detailed a case in Finland in which Lutheran Bishop Juhana Pohjola and Member of Parliament Päivi Räsänen were charged with hate speech based on a Twitter post about the Lutheran teaching on homosexuality. The prosecutor general alleged that Räsänen’s post, which referenced a 2004 pamphlet published by Pohjola, was ‘likely to cause intolerance, contempt, and hatred towards homosexuals.’ Although the charges were dismissed, the prosecutors have appealed the verdict…

“According to Clancy, Ukraine has shut down Russian-speaking religious services and Russia has shut down Ukrainian religious activity in Russian-dominated areas...”

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.

The Sudden End of the Russian “Rebellion”

The New York Post wrote on June 25:

“Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin posed for smiling selfies in Russia Saturday as he was forced into exile — just hours after the rebel mercenary boss brought the country to the brink of civil war.

“Prigozhin’s short-lived rebellion ended suddenly late Saturday with his retreat to Belarus…

“Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov announced Saturday Prigozhin would be exiled to Russian-aligned Belarus, with any charges against him for the foiled armed revolt being dropped in exchange. 

“Prigozhin’s mercenaries had been fighting in Ukraine alongside Russian soldiers. He ordered them back to their field camps after the rebellion’s abrupt end. Wagner Group’s mercenary troops would also not be prosecuted, the Kremlin said, while those who refused to partake in the coup attempt would be offered Defense Ministry contracts. 

“Prigozhin’s revolt began after what he said was a Russian military attack targeting his troops’ camps in Ukraine Friday with gun- and artillery fire and rockets. He accused Gen. Valery Gerasimov, chief of the General Staff, of calling for the attacks on his troops after conspiring with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to eliminate the mercenary group.  Russia’s Defense Ministry denied doing so…

“Prigozhin demanded Shoigu be removed from his post as he and his forces advanced upon Moscow Saturday, making it just 120 miles from the city before announcing the retreat.”

This short-lived “coup” did NOT bring the country to the brink of civil war, as the article claims erroneously. Apparently, Prigozhin never tried to fight Putin, but he wanted Shoigu and perhaps Gerasimov to step down. The idea that this episode marks the end of Putin is doubtful, with wild and unconfirmed allegations during the events that Putin had left Moscow. After all, Putin, apparently with the help of Lukashenko, was able to successfully stop the “coup” without much bloodshed [even though it is claimed that the Wagner group killed 39 Russian pilots and crew]. If anything, that would undoubtedly have increased his popularity in Russia. Of course, some may be unhappy with Putin for not punishing the rebels (but note the next article). At the same time, many report that Ukraine’s counter-offensive has been a complete disaster so far. Ukraine’s hope that civil war in Russia would help in defeating Russia has not materialized. Occasional claims that Russia has lost the war in Ukraine are far-fetched. Hungary’s Prime Minister Victor Orban has reportedly said this week that Ukraine cannot win the war against Russia.

Some even feel that the whole event was staged.

All Staged?

The Daily Mail wrote on June 25:

“An ex-CIA analyst has claimed Vladimir Putin ‘orchestrated the coup’ with Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhi… Rebekah Koffler told Fox News’ Eric Shawn on Saturday the coup was staged as a way for the Russian leader to boost his political power and he will eventually ‘gain momentum, mobilize additional personnel, and re-energize his offensive on Ukraine.’…

“Prigozhin’s forces moved from their camps in Ukraine into Russia on Friday and took over a regional military command in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don, before advancing toward Moscow. Just as suddenly, the advance was called off on Saturday, and Russian state media said the Wagner troops would return to Ukraine while Prigozhin would flee to neighboring Belarus…

“She continued: ‘So this is a pretext to declare martial law, which Putin has already done. He made an amendment today that anybody who is violating the martial law is going to be imprisoned for 30 days. Another very interesting and revealing point is that Putin just authorized that men with a criminal record can join the military…’”

Even though this theory of a staged coup, which is also propagated in Europe and Russia, is basically rejected by most observers, stranger things have happened…

Blessed Are the Peacemakers

Newsmax wrote on June 25:

“As war rages in Ukraine and Russia teased a potential mercenary mutiny Saturday, former President Donald Trump repeated his vow to end the conflict with negotiations as a ‘blessed peacemaker.’

“‘When I was president, the world was stable and calm because America was respected and strong. Now — as we see in Russia and all of these other places — this whole world is on fire,’ Trump said Saturday night in Washington, D.C… ‘Before I even arrived at the Oval Office, I will have the horrible war between Russia and Ukraine totally settled. I’d have it done in 24 hours. I say that, and I would do that…’

“Trump said his past relationships with Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy can get the war ended quickly…

“Speaking to the religious conservative group, Trump hearkened back to the Bible’s scripture. ‘As the Bible says, “Blessed are the peacemakers,”’ Trump said. ‘I will be your peacemaker.’”

That will have to be seen…

Russia’s Break With the West

Modern Diplomacy wrote on June 26:

“The war that is currently raging between Russia and Ukraine began in 2014. It started with a clash between Russia and Ukraine…

“The tremor of conflict in 2014 turned into an earthquake as far as Russia and the West were concerned. The Kremlin now presents itself as at war with the ‘collective West,’ and in support of Ukraine, the West is eager to isolate Russia as much as it can.

“Russia’s internal transformation under Russian President Vladimir Putin long predates Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and its consequences will be felt long after the war is over. This transformation is Russia’s departure from the West — a shift even more all-encompassing than was the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. One half of this story is Russia’s separation from Europe and the United States and its loss of contact with people, governments, institutions, and companies in the West. The other half is the newly anti-Western tenor of Russian life, a trend that is both spontaneous and government-mandated. The speed with which these changes have taken place is unprecedented in Russian history.

“Nearly sixteen months into the war, ordinary Russians harbor substantial and most likely enduring anger and resentment toward the West…

“Although it can no longer trade with Europe and the United States or harness Western technology for its own modernization, there are many parts of the world with which Russia can increase trade, including China, India, and even Turkey, a member of the NATO alliance…

“The breakup between Russia and the West has acquired an aura of permanence… No matter how long the war continues, and regardless of how it ends, it will almost certainly leave in place a crucial new reality of twenty-first-century international relations…”

Ultimately, Russia and Western Europe will become mortal enemies, fighting each other in war.

Biden Bribery Scandal… More To Come

Newsmax wrote on June 24:

“Attorney General Merrick Garland defended the Department of Justice’s integrity during a Friday news conference, but U.S. Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., told Newsmax that Garland has destroyed the agency’s reputation. ‘He just stood up and lied to the American people,’ Comer, chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability [said]…

“The DOJ has come under heavy criticism for giving what many see as favorable treatment to President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden… on Thursday, members of the House Ways and Means Committee released redacted transcripts of whistleblower testimony from two IRS employees who, after working on Hunter Biden’s tax evasion case, reported misconduct and government abuse from the DOJ and FBI. Garland denied the whistleblowers’ claims.

“Comer’s committee has been investigating alleged influence peddling schemes by Joe Biden and his family. They have presented evidence from an FBI whistleblower that an unclassified FD-1023 form contained allegations the president and Hunter Biden each received $5 million from an executive at Ukrainian energy giant Burisma Holdings Limited in exchange for influencing U.S. policy decisions. The committee also uncovered documents tracing money allegedly paid to Joe Biden and his family to several shell companies.

“Comer said there is more to come… Remember, we just disclosed two countries thus far: China and Romania. There are still some more Chinese wires that we have yet to present to the American people. ‘And there are a lot of wires, mysterious wires from Ukraine and Russia, that we’re about to expose. So, this is just beginning for the Bidens. All the Department of Justice is doing is standing in our way.’

“Comer said that despite all the obstacles his committee has faced from the DOJ and all the negative media coverage surrounding the investigation, ‘we are still producing results every day that shows this family, the president of the United States’ family, has received millions and millions of dollars from our adversaries all over the world, and they can’t explain why. They can’t explain what they did to produce that money.’”

One has to wonder when the majority of the American people will wake up and demand some action against the corrupt Biden family.

Impeach Biden Now

The New York Post wrote on June 25:

“Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz… highlighted a claim from the stunning closed-door testimony released Thursday that investigators found a WhatsApp message in which Hunter, 53, invoked his father in an apparent attempt to coerce money from a Chinese business associate… Cruz insisted that ‘right now’ is the time for the investigation into the scandal-scarred first son to transform into an impeachment effort against the 80-year-old commander-in-chief.

“Both IRS whistleblowers alleged that key officials in the Biden Justice Department hamstrung their own probe into Hunter Biden — and prevented any meaningful investigation into Joe Biden. This includes allegations that Assistant US Attorney Lesley Wolf scuttled important lines of questioning related to Joe Biden, insisting there was ‘no specific criminality.’

“The elder Biden has repeatedly claimed that he never spoke with his son about his overseas business dealings — but the damning text message casts fresh doubt on the president’s claims. ‘I am sitting here with my father and we would like to understand why the commitment made has not been fulfilled. Tell the director that I would like to resolve this now before it gets out of hand, and now means tonight,’ Hunter Biden wrote to Harvest Fund Management director Henry Zhao. ‘And, Z, if I get a call or text from anyone involved in this other than you, Zhang, or the chairman, I will make certain that between the man sitting next to me and every person he knows and my ability to forever hold a grudge that you will regret not following my direction.’…

“Cruz said the WhatsApp message ‘directly ties Joe Biden to the millions of dollars coming from communist China’ but the DOJ and Attorney General Merrick Garland prevented any probe into the threatening message…’Now, it is possible Hunter Biden was lying, it’s possible Joe Biden wasn’t next to him,’ Cruz added.”

The facts are that Hunter Biden received the demanded money shortly thereafter, and he was in Joe Biden’s house when he sent the message, giving somewhat credence to the claim that Hunter Biden wrote the message in his father’s presence. However, under the direction of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, the Republican-controlled House seems to be unwilling to begin impeachment procedures against Joe Biden.

“Biden Lies About Everything”

On June 27, the Editorial Board of the New York Post published the following opinion:

“Despite mountains of evidence to the contrary, Joe Biden just can’t stop lying about how tangled up he was in son Hunter’s business dealings… Asked point-blank if he’d lied to the American people about never-ever speaking to Hunter about business, he barked ‘No.’… the president lies about everything that could inconvenience him. 

“He called his disastrous Afghanistan bugout an ‘extraordinary success.’ On the raging inflation his policies caused, he scoffed ‘It was already there when I got here, man.’ [Under Trump, inflation was historically low.]… He claimed in 2022 the price of gas was ‘down from over $5 when I took office,’ when it was $2.46 as he came in and then hit highs of more than $5. 

“He claimed again and again to have created millions of ‘new’ jobs, when they were simply the recovered jobs lost to COVID coming back. He lies about having cut the deficit by $1.7 trillion, when his big-spending [policies] increased it. The border is ‘much better than you all expected,’ as he suggested recently to reporters…

“Whether it’s on public policy or personal scandal (‘there’s no there there,’ on his classified-docs woes, he insists, just as with his family corruption), he waves off bothersome facts in the same blustery, barking tone. 

“The tactic worked for most of his long career as a senator with a safe seat, and even as vice president… it still sort-of works for much of the press, who desperately want to believe his lies.

“But most Americans don’t keep falling for a salesman (of used cars or public policy) who never delivers what he promises: They eventually realize that the guy lies about everything. ‘C’mon man!’ is not gonna cut it.”

And still, many Americans state that they would vote for Biden in the next presidential election. Incredible!

Biden Is Destroying the USA

MSN published on June 25 the following opinion by Brandon Weichert, contributor at the Washington Times:

“Noted legal scholar and George Washington University law professor, Jonathan Turley, believes that ‘The Biden Family are beginning to make the Medicis look like small-time operators.’ 

“For the record, the Medici Family was an Italian banking family that used its vast wealth in 15th century Italy to become the most powerful family politically in all of Florence…  As per their station in 15th century Florence, the Medicis were the leaders of a caste of people and families who were, for all intents and purposes, untouchable. 

“Similarly, the Biden Family appears to be taking a role similar to that of the Medicis in America’s increasingly corrupt political and economic caste system…

“In my view, he’s clearly used his position and power to influence the ‘Justice’ system to better protect his wayward son, Hunter, and to insulate the rest of the Biden Family from true justice is another indicator of just how skilled at corrupt machinations the forty-sixth president is… Of course, the Bidens have been able to get away with their alleged crimes, just as the Clintons were able to do…

“As Turley explained to the New York Post, ‘The fact that it took over five years to even secure a plea on a couple of small misdemeanors is a testament to a family that has leveraged Joe Biden public positions into a fortune of influence peddling.’…

“… all reports indicate that the Department of Justice is slow-walking that investigation into Biden’s alleged mishandling of classified documents (in much the same way that IRS whistleblowers accuse the DOJ of slow-walking their investigations into Hunter Biden’s tax evasion scandal) whereas they are fast-tracking their case against Trump…

“Unlike 15th century Florence, though, modern America is not a flourishing hub of Renaissance thinking. It is a kleptocratic, declining great state with a shockingly overt corrupt and craven political class leading us to our collapse. The way our so-called ‘justice’ system has been converted into a shield for the brazenly corrupt Biden Family and weaponized by that family and their political party to destroy the Biden enemies, such as the Trump Family, is more proof of this sad fact…”

Sadly, the USA IS a declining and collapsing great state with a shockingly corrupt political leadership.

Trump Audio “Leaked” to CNN

Newsmax wrote on June 27:

“Former President Donald Trump is speaking out against CNN’s release of audio it obtained of him speaking with associates at his Bedminster golf club in July 2021 about a military document concerning Iran, saying the report exonerates him in the federal charges he is facing in connection to classified documents kept at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.

“‘The Deranged Special Prosecutor, Jack Smith, working in conjunction with the DOJ & FBI, illegally leaked and “spun” a tape and transcript of me which is actually an exoneration, rather than what they would have you believe,’ Trump said on his Truth Social page Monday night after the audio aired on CNN’s ‘Anderson Cooper 360.’…

“In the tape, Trump is also heard saying that he has a ‘big pile of papers, this thing just came up. Look. This was him [Army Gen. Mark Milley]. They presented me this – this is off the record but – they presented me this. This was him. This was the Defense Department and him… This was done by the military and given to me… See as president I could have declassified it… Now I can’t, you know, but this is still a secret’…

“Last week, during an interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier, Trump denied having classified documents with him during the meeting… ‘That was a massive amount of papers and everything else talking about Iran and other things. And it may have been held up or may not, but that was not a document. I didn’t have a document per se,’ he said. ‘There was nothing to declassify. These were newspaper stories, magazine stories, and articles.’”

The audio was “leaked” to CNN—supposedly by the Justice Department—at a time when the evidence of alleged bribery and improper financial dealings with foreign powers by Joe Biden, Hunter Biden and the entire Biden family is mounting, and when Attorney General Merrick Garland might face impeachment procedures if in fact he lied to Congress under oath, as it has been alleged by two IRS whistleblowers who have now claimed that they can produce six additional witnesses who will collaborate their narrative. Even the New York Times admitted now that Garland did not tell the truth.

In a related article, Newsmax wrote on June 27:

“Former Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., told Newsmax on Tuesday that there is nothing to the leaked audio obtained by CNN about former President Donald Trump… ‘My guess is this is a 30-minute to an hour interview, and this is what the left and the media and now, sadly, the Department of Justice and the FBI, love to do is to selectively leak. It is to take something possibly out of context,’ Nunes [said]… ‘It appears like he’s maybe referring to some article, some story maybe that had just come out…

“‘Like a lot of this, it’s a lot of smoke and mirrors. I just continue to go back and say, “Look, you’ve got the Presidential Records Act, everybody who did exactly the same thing.” … Vice President [Mike] Pence had them. [Joe] Biden had documents all over the place, including [from] when he was a senator. [Barack] Obama had them. [George] Bush had them. So, what are you doing with Trump?’”

Apart from the question as to what the audio actually does establish, it might be irrelevant from a legal standpoint, if, as we pointed out previously, the false set of laws was applied in the indictment; and if the attorney-client privilege was improperly pierced.

It has also been suggested that the audio has become inadmissible for the additional reason that it has been illegally leaked to CNN by, as it is claimed, the Justice Department in violation of a court order. Furthermore, as it was pointed out, before a tape can be admitted into evidence, context, possible editing and its authenticity will have to be established.

Finally, even if Trump did not declassify the alleged document in question (if he had in fact a secret document in his hand during the interview), it could still have become automatically declassified if the content of the document had become public, for instance in a newspaper or a magazine.

US Supreme Court Sides With Biden on Immigration Issue

npr wrote on June 23:

“The U.S. Supreme Court handed President Biden’s administration a victory in a long-running fight about how to enforce the nation’s immigration laws. The case concerned the Biden administration’s attempt to set guidelines for whom immigration authorities can target for arrest and deportation. Texas and Louisiana sued to block the guidelines, arguing that they were preventing immigration authorities from doing their jobs.

“The Supreme Court held by a vote of 8-1 that the states lacked standing to challenge the guidelines in the first place…

“During former President Trump’s administration, ICE agents and officers were empowered to arrest and deport anyone who was living in the U.S. without legal authorization. When the Biden administration took office, it put on the brakes… Under the new guidance, being present in the U.S. without legal authorization ‘should not alone be the basis’ for immigration authorities to arrest or deport someone…”

Trump’s policy was clearly overblown and wrong—it would even have included the arrest and deportation of “Dreamers.”

US Supreme Court Landmark Decision on College Admissions

The New York Post wrote on June 29:

“The Supreme Court struck down affirmative action programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina Thursday, ruling that both institutions were in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment and federal civil rights law. [Affirmative action policies were often used to increase the number of Black, Hispanic and other underrepresented minority groups on campuses.]

“The decision essentially ends the practice of overt racial consideration in higher education admissions and overturns for all intents and purposes the high court’s 2003 ruling in Grutter v. Bollinger, which found that colleges could consider race as one factor in the admissions process to achieve a diverse student body. ‘Eliminating racial discrimination means eliminating all of it,’ Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority opinion. ‘And the Equal Protection Clause, we have accordingly held, applies “without regard to any differences of race, of color, or of nationality”—it is “universal in [its] application… [T]he student must be treated based on his or her experiences as an individual—not on the basis of race,’ Roberts went on…

“Roberts was joined in his opinion… by all five of his colleagues on the court’s conservative wing: Justice Samuel Alito, Justice Clarence Thomas, Justice Amy Coney Barrett, Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Justice Neil Gorsuch… The court’s three liberals, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented in the UNC case, while Jackson… recused herself from the case involving the Ivy League school…

“Nine states already prohibit any consideration of race in admissions to their public colleges and universities: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, and Washington state…

“President Biden said he ‘strongly, strongly’ disagreed with the court… Former President Donald Trump hailed what he called a ‘great day for America’ in a post on his Truth Social network…”

US Supreme Court Decides On Religious Accommodation of Religious Worker

Fox News wrote on June 29:

“The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled unanimously for a postal worker in Pennsylvania in an important religious liberty dispute, over how far employers should go to accommodate faith-based requests in the workplace. Gerald Groff, a Chrisitan mail carrier from Pennsylvania, asked the court to decide whether the U.S. Postal Service could require him to deliver Amazon packages on Sundays, which he observes as the Sabbath. His attorney, Aaron Streett, argued in April that the court should revisit a 50-year-old precedent that established a test to determine when employers should make accommodations for their employees’ religious practices.

“In ruling for the government worker, the high court overturned its 1977 precedent that said employers had to ‘reasonably accommodate’ an employee’s religious beliefs and practices, so long as that would not create an ‘undue hardship’ on the business. The new decision tightens the ‘undue hardship’ standard, and could make it easier for some individual employees to secure a religious accommodation in the workplace… A Supreme Court case from 1977, Trans World Airlines v. Hardison, said employers could deny religious accommodations to employees when they impose ‘more than a de minimis cost’ on the business.

“Groff’s attorney argued that the court should scrap the ‘de minimus’ test, which he suggested has been abused by lower courts to deny religious accommodations, in favor of the plain language of Title VII, which would define ‘undue burden’ in the same way it is defined in other federal laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)…

“‘To be sure, as the Solicitor General notes, some lower courts have understood that the protection for religious adherents is greater than “more than … de minimus” might suggest when read in isolation,’ Justice Samuel Alito wrote. ‘But a bevy of diverse religious organizations has told this Court that the de minimus test has blessed the denial of even minor accommodation in many cases, making it harder for members of minority faiths to enter the job market… We hold that showing “more than a de minimus cost,” as that phrase is used in common parlance, does not suffice to establish “undue hardship” under Title VII. Hardison cannot be reduced to that one phrase.’

“Groff was a fill-in mail carrier who worked at the United States Post Office when other mail carriers were off… Initially, he was able to work out an arrangement with his supervisors to transfer to another branch that did not deliver on Sundays. When that branch also began Sunday deliveries, Groff was permitted to miss his shifts provided he could find someone to cover for him. However, Groff was frequently unable to do so and missed over two dozen assigned Sunday shifts. 

“Groff contends USPS could have accommodated his beliefs by scheduling shifts so that he didn’t have to work on Sundays. But the Third Circuit Court of Appeals held in May 2022 that USPS would suffer an undue hardship if it took further action to accommodate Groff. The Supreme Court vacated the Third Circuit’s judgment and remanded the case for further proceedings consistent with its opinion…”

An important case for all true Sabbath keepers as well.

YouTube Did It Again

Newsmax wrote on June 27:

“Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a 2024 Democratic presidential candidate, revealed on Tuesday that YouTube had taken down yet another interview he was featured in [This was subsequent to YouTube’s censorship of his interview with Joran Peterson last week.]

“Kennedy announced the development in a Twitter threat, suggesting that the removal of his talk with former New York Post reporter Al Guart was an act of political censorship… ‘When industry and government are so closely linked, there is little difference between “private” and “government” censorship,’ he continued. ‘Suppression of free speech is not suddenly OK when it is contracted out to the private corporations that control the public square.’

“The Democratic candidate then cited Elon Musk’s ‘Twitter Files,’ a series of internal company documents publicized through prominent journalists, as proof of Big Tech’s collusion with the federal government. ‘Twitter complied. Doubtless, Facebook, YouTube, and the rest received similar requests,’ he explained, adding that YouTube ‘probably acted on its own initiative’ because it has ‘internalized the political wishes of the establishment.’”

More on the “Woke” Nonsense in Britain

The Daily Mail wrote on June 25:

“Shocking audio footage last week from Rye College in East Sussex revealed that a teacher called a teenage pupil ‘despicable’ for disputing the idea that a classmate could identify as a cat. The clip includes a heated exchange in which the disgruntled teacher says the Year 8 youngster needed a ‘proper educational conversation about equality, diversity and inclusion’. 

“But now parents are criticising the teacher for bringing ‘gender politics’ into the classroom, which they allege is ‘stressing the children out’… The parents of a Year 7 pupil told The Sun that there has been too much focus on ‘woke’ issues and not enough of a priority on education…

“The girl’s father added… ‘It’s highlighted how gender politics has taken over schools. It’s not good…’”

The wave of strange and unbiblical ideas regarding the woke nonsense is sweeping through the Western world… having seemingly risen very suddenly and coming out of nowhere. Truly, Satan IS the god and ruler of this world.

Pride Month in the USA… “We Are Coming for Your Children”

The New York Post wrote on June 24:

“LGBTQ activists participating in New York City’s annual Drag March on Friday sparked outrage for chanting ‘we’re here, we’re queer, we’re coming for your children’ in a Manhattan park… The controversial chant incensed conservatives, who condemned the marchers as the video spread on social media. ‘This movement grooms minors to have mastectomies and castration and fuels a multi billion dollar medical child abuse industry,’ Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) tweeted in response to the clip…

“New York City will cap off its Pride Month celebrations with its massive annual parade on Sunday to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Riots — a pivotal moment in the American LGBTQ community’s history.”

On June 28, 1969, the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York’s Greenwich Village, was raided by police. But instead of responding with the routine compliance the NYPD expected, patrons and a growing crowd decided to fight back. The five days of violent [but not deadly] rioting that ensued changed the face of gay and lesbian life forever.

Fox News added on June 28:

“NBC News cited LGBTQ activists who claim the ‘we’re coming for your children’ chant has been ‘used for years.’ [If that was true, it would make it even worse.] Twitter added a community note to NBC News’ tweet of the article that there is no proof to these claims. ‘The news articles provides no evidence of the “we’re coming for your children” chant being done for years at pride nor does it quote specific individuals that make this claim,’ the note reads. ‘This is very irresponsible reporting.’”

Europe—the New Babylon

Israel 365 News wrote on June 25:

“After the Jewish people were forced to wear yellow stars and were murdered on European soil during the Holocaust, they must never again be discriminated against with labelling of their goods and with Jew-hatred disguised as anti-Zionism.

“The European Court of Justice ruled that countries should implement label regulations against products originating from Judea, Samaria, the Golan Heights and Jerusalem as being produced in ‘occupied’ areas but the same is not being legislated against other nations that occupy disputed territories…

“The Hague Initiative for International Cooperation) Director Andrew Tucker commented that Europe has never gotten over the Holocaust but has moved on to create a Babylon atmosphere…”

Europe is called “Babylon” numerous times in the Bible. Please read, for instance, our free booklets, “Is That in the Bible? The Mysteries of the Book of Revelation” and “The Rise and Fall of Germany and Europe.”

AfD’s Ongoing Success Story

Deutsche Welle reported on June 25:

“For the first time in Germany, the AfD has won a district council election… Voters in the central German town of Sonneberg elected AfD candidate Robert Sesselmann at the expense of incumbent district administrator Jürgen Köpper of the CDU. In the runoff election in the Thuringian district of Sonneberg, Sesselmann won 52.8% of the vote, earning him the necessary absolute majority…

“The area of some 57,000 people is one of the smallest districts in Germany. Still, the AfD victory is a major breakthrough for the far-right party, which mainstream parties have refused to cooperate with in coalition agreements.

“The AfD’s leader in Thuringia, Björn Höcke, welcomed the win and said it demonstrates the party’s recent momentum. ‘And then we’ll prepare for the state elections in the east, where we can really create a political earthquake,’ he said, referring to state parliament elections in the eastern states of Saxony, Thuringia and Brandenburg…

“Earlier this month, the first round of elections in the runoff vote saw Sesselmann fall short of outright victory by only a few percentage points. Such a strong showing for an AfD candidate raised the alarm nationally, with all other main political parties — the SPD, the Greens, the neoliberal FDP, and the socialist Left Party — backing the incumbent.

“Though the highest political office in that small arena, the position itself is of only moderate consequence and carries rather limited power… However, critics fear the idea of the AfD wielding political power in any measure and say the party is xenophobic and anti-democratic.

“Germany’s domestic intelligence service classifies the party in Thuringia and its controversial hardline leader, Bjoern Hoecke, as known far-right extremists…

“The AfD win on Sunday shows a milestone for the far-right party, which is currently polling between 18% and 20% nationwide. It has gained a wave of support as the national governing coalition of left-leaning SPD with the Greens and the Free Democratic Party (FDP) is showing signs of infighting…

“AfD first entered the national parliament in 2017 after campaigning strongly against migration. More recently, the party has been critcizing German support for Ukraine as Kyiv fights off the invasion from Russia.”

To classify the AfD and its leader as “known extremists” is of course a rather stupid and counterproductive measure which has already backfired. But many who are supporting the AfD have stated in the past that they do not necessarily agree with all of AfD’s positions, but that they reject the ineffective unpopular policies of the current coalition government under Chancellor Olaf Scholz, which many Germans view as being utterly incompetent—not just those voting for the AfD. So, the popularity of the AfD can and perhaps should be viewed as a protest vote against Berlin and the coalition government.

Jewish Leaders Alarmed

JTA wrote on June 26:

“Jewish leaders are reacting with alarm to a local election in the former East German state of Thuringia, where for the first time in Germany a far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) candidate has won the top political post in his district…

“Josef Schuster, president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, said the election ‘could open the floodgates’ for a party that espouses xenophobic and anti-democratic values. Some of its leaders also have belittled the Holocaust… ‘Not every AfD voter has extreme right-wing views,’ Schuster told the weekly Jewish newspaper Jüdische Allgemeine. ‘But they voted for a candidate whose party is extreme right-wing, according to the State Office for the Protection of the Constitution.’

“Those voters ‘are knocking out another pillar of support for stable democracy in Germany,’ said Charlotte Knobloch, head of the Jewish community of Munich and Upper Bavaria, in a statement.”

The more the AfD will be criticized and warned against, the more the party will rise in popularity, regardless as to whether the criticism is justified or not.

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.

Why and How the Mass Media Libels Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

The New York Post wrote on June 17:

“When Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced his primary challenge to Joe Biden in April, the media shrugged him off as a meme candidate who would soon collide with political reality. Two months later, Kennedy is polling as high as 20% and his campaign is gaining momentum. And the media… have decided it’s time to step in.

“… Over the past weeks, major print and broadcast organizations have laid the foundations for a powerful narrative designed to hobble Kennedy’s campaign before a single vote is cast. The strategy is to disqualify Kennedy by labeling him a font of misinformation… In other words: a Republican in Kennedy clothes…

“The New York Times set the pace with a takedown brimming with accusations and innuendo. From word one, the article didn’t hesitate with its heavy-handedness — accusing Kennedy in its headline of ‘Pushing Right-Wing Ideas and Misinformation.’ The problem is that the article — which includes zero sources and little in terms of comment from the Kennedy campaign — provides no support for this claim.

“In lieu of actual facts, the Times presents ‘fact-checks,’ claiming, for instance, that Kennedy advanced a conspiracy theory by questioning the outcome of the 2004 Bush-Kerry election. Guess who else questioned the validity of that election? The New York Times in a lengthy November 2004 editorial.

“The same day as the Times hit piece, The Washington Post weighed in… In its first sentence, the article claims that Kennedy ‘campaigns on the idea that powerful people have been working in secret to deceive you.’ That’s partly true: One of Kennedy’s most scrutinized claims is that big pharma is pushing what he considers to be unsafe or unproven drugs, particularly vaccines…

“MSNBC picked up the WaPo piece and ran with it, bringing the article’s author on air for an interview. Probably not by coincidence, the interview was conducted by former Biden White House press secretary, MSNBC host Jen Psaki…

“Washington Monthly suggested journalists refrain from covering this ‘crackpot’ (also in the headline)…

“Outside of the media, however, serious people are beginning to take Kennedy seriously…

“Much of Kennedy’s appeal lies in his forthright approach to major issues, like his visit to the southern border this month, where he spoke directly with immigrants in Arizona. Unsurprisingly, most of the press stayed home.

“Kennedy’s positions on many other issues also cut against the media grain. His most controversial stance is on the war in Ukraine, where he strongly opposes American involvement (though his son volunteered to serve alongside Ukrainians). Back home, he believes transgender athletes should not participate in female sports; and… he’s harshly critical of America’s intelligence community, and particularly the CIA, which he believes is responsible for the assassination of his uncle, John F. Kennedy…

“The media onslaught is not only an attempt to derail Kennedy, but an easy way to deflect attention from the Dems’ real campaign crises: Biden’s age, unfavorability and chaos-plagued son. Faced with a weakened president, the media is trying to make Robert Kennedy into Joe Biden’s whipping boy and send him packing long before Iowa. But with Biden’s scandals bubbling, and Kennedy bottling early electoral lightning, the next claims of ‘misinformation’ might just refer to Kennedy outpolling the president.”

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on June 15:

“A new poll from The Economist and YouGov released yesterday brings more bad news for Biden, as Democratic rival RFK, Jr. surges in favorability with voters while Biden slumps. No wonder Biden refuses to debate RFK, Jr. and is desperately trying to move the first primary to a more favorable state.”

The attempts of the left-wing mass media to interfere in the upcoming election are truly appalling.

Democrats Want Biden and Kennedy to Debate

Breitbart wrote the following on June 19:

“A majority of Democrats want President Biden to debate Democrat challenger Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a Convention of States Action/Trafalgar Group survey found…

“Across the board, over one-third, 77.5 percent, said yes, the two should engage in debates. Just 15.6 percent said they should not, and another 6.9 percent remain unsure.

“Predictably, most Republicans — 92.8 percent — believe the two should debate, as do 80.1 percent of independents. However, this consensus is actually bipartisan, as 57.5 percent of Democrats believe Biden should debate RFK Jr. another 31.7 percent believe they should not debate, and 10.8 percent of Democrats remain unsure…

“Notably, RFK Jr. has expressed an eagerness to see Biden on the debate stage, challenging the president to a debate throughout the primary process.”

YouTube Censors RFK Jr

Newsmax wrote on June 19:

“YouTube’s removal of a Robert F. Kennedy Jr. interview with conservative podcaster Jordan Peterson is being called out as election interference… After the blackout on YouTube, RFK Jr. hailed Twitter for keeping the interview up on its social media platform…

“The flap comes after famous video podcaster Joe Rogan offered a vaccine doctor $100,000 to debate Democrat presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., on his show… Dr. Peter Hotez fired salvos at Rogan and RFK Jr. for spreading vaccine skepticism after Rogan’s podcast interview with the noted COVID-19 vaccine critic RFK Jr., but Hotez declined Rogan’s offer for the charity of his choice.

“Notably, RFK Jr.’s unpopular positions with Democrats and their allies in the mainstream media had The Boston Globe predicting YouTube censorship for weeks…”

What does Hotez want to hide?

Needed… Another John F Kennedy?

On June 19, Ron Paul wrote the following in his weekly column:

“Most people agree that we are closer to nuclear war than at any time since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. Some would even argue that we are closer now than we were in those fateful days, when Soviet missiles in Cuba almost triggered a nuclear war between the US and the USSR… That crisis was very real to me, as I was drafted into the military in the middle of the US/USSR standoff over Cuba and we could all feel how close we were to annihilation.

“Fortunately, we had a president in the White House at the time who understood the dangers of nuclear brinkmanship. Even though he was surrounded by hawks who could never forgive him for aborting the idiotic Bay of Pigs Cuba invasion, President John F. Kennedy picked up the telephone for a discussion with his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, which eventually saved the world. Historians now tell us that President Kennedy agreed to remove US missiles from Turkey in exchange for the Soviets removing missiles from Cuba…

“It is all too clear that we do not have a John F. Kennedy in the White House today… the Biden Administration is still dragging the US toward a nuclear conflict… This all started with Biden promising to only send uniforms and medical supplies to Ukraine for fear of sparking a Russian retaliation. From there we went to anti-tank missiles, multiple-rocket launchers, Patriot missiles, Bradley fighting vehicles, and millions of rounds of ammunition. The Biden Administration announced last week that it would send depleted uranium ammunition to Ukraine, which poisons the earth for millennia to come. Rumors are that long-range ATACMs missiles are to be delivered soon, which could strike deep into Russia. Apparently, F-16 fighter jets are also on the way…

“Congress is silent – or compliant – as we lurch forward toward disaster for no discernable US strategic goal. Biden – or whoever is actually running the show – is forging straight ahead.”

What is REALLY needed is the soon-coming return of Jesus Christ, as man does not know the way to lasting peace.  

“The Utter Failure of Merrick Garland”

On June 17, the Hill published the following opinion piece by Professor Jonathan Turley:

“Merrick Garland began his tenure as attorney general with the stated intention of restoring faith in the Justice Department and the rule of law. By that standard, Garland has been a failure. In fact, if anything, the crisis of faith surrounding his department has only deepened on his watch…

“Polls show that half the country distrusts the FBI. A recent poll by Harvard CAPS-Harris found that 70 percent are either very or somewhat concerned about election interference by the FBI and other intelligence agencies… Another poll showed 64 percent view the FBI as ‘politically compromised.’…

“Various officials were removed from the Department by career officials for their express bias and misconduct during the Russia-collusion investigation… The Justice Department and the media kept the investigation going for years despite the lack of credible evidence…

“Garland’s reputation is more like that of a supervising judge who defers to the views and decisions of his agency. The result has been disastrous for the department… Garland remained largely silent as the FBI cracked down on conservative groups across the country in the wake of the Jan. 6 riot… the Justice Department was criticized for its draconian treatment of people charged with relatively minor offenses such as trespass and unlawful entry into the Capitol.

“The controversies continue to pile up…  Garland could have taken steps to assure the public that there is not a two-tiered system of justice but repeatedly refused to do so. For example, Garland has continued to refuse to appoint a special counsel in the investigation of Hunter Biden. By doing so, Garland has removed the president’s greatest threat in the form of a report that would detail the scope of the Biden family’s alleged influence peddling and foreign contacts.

“Garland is now looking at a new inflammatory situation after Special Counsel Jack Smith has leveled 37 charges against Trump while Robert Hur, ‘the other special counsel’ investigating Biden, has largely disappeared from sight…

“Garland is not solely at fault. Biden took office promising to be a unifier and a moderate. He immediately adopted far left policies and fueled divisions by denouncing millions of ‘MAGA Republicans’ and his political opponents as ‘semi-fascist’ extremists…

“The failure of Merrick Garland is becoming more and more evident by the day. The public continues to distrust the Department, and his assurances of fair dealing have been overwhelmingly rejected by Republicans and independents…  as an attorney general, there is little to like about his last two years.”

The Justice Department, the FBI and the CIA, among many other governmental agencies, as well as Joe Biden and his Administration, have to be distrusted for obvious reasons.  

“Why the Trump Indictment Is Outrageous And Shocking”

On or about June 16, Zero Hedge published the following article by Will Scharf:

“I am a former Assistant U.S. Attorney, worked on two Supreme Court confirmations, and clerked for two federal appellate judges. The indictment and case against President Trump is outrageous and shocking…

“A lot of my friends have spoken insightfully about the scope of the Presidential Records Act… Basically, their argument distills down to the idea that the President’s authority to retain Personal Records, as well as his rights to access his Presidential Records, make it impossible to prosecute him under the Espionage Act section at issue here, § 793(e), because the government cannot prove ‘unauthorized possession,’ as required under the statute.

“I want to make a different point relating to the intent elements in § 793(e) of the Espionage Act, the statute Trump is being charged under. Section 793(e) requires the government to prove that the Defendant KNEW he had National Defense Information (NDI) in his possession, and also that the Defendant KNEW that there was a government official entitled to receive the Information, and also that the Defendant then WILLFULLY failed to deliver it to that official…

“More than anything, this case hinges on the ability of the Special Counsel to prove beyond a reasonable doubt aspects of Trump’s state of mind that will be extremely difficult to prove in this case because of his obligations and rights under the Presidential Records Act…

“Just because something is classified… does not mean that it is National Defense Information (NDI) within the meaning of the Espionage Act. NDI, for the purposes of an Espionage Act § 793(e) prosecution, is defined as one of a long list of items ‘relating to the national defense which information the possessor had reason to believe could be used to the injury of the United States or to the advantage of any foreign nation.’

“A lot of the documents listed in the indictment are older, or seemingly random… Anyone who has worked around government knows that over-classification is a huge problem. A ton of documents end up being classified because of arcane technical rules that may not reflect the real world…

“Far and away the most troubling side story to emerge from this saga so far are the allegations made by Trump aide and co-defendant Walt Nauta’s lawyer last week… Nauta’s lawyer, Stanley Woodward, alleged in a court filing that during a meeting with prosecutors about his client’s case, the head of the Counterintelligence Section of DOJ’s National Security Division Jay Bratt ‘suggested Woodward’s judicial application [for a DC Superior Court judgeship] might be considered more favorably if he and his client cooperated against Trump.’

“If true… this is wild misconduct… It could undermine the entire case against both Trump and Nauta. It could end careers at DOJ if fairly investigated…

“The indictment relies on a significant amount of information received, in one form or another, from one of Trump’s lawyers, Evan Corcoran, who was compelled to testify in front of the grand jury. According to news reports, the argument for breaching the privilege was the crime fraud exception…

“The attorney client privilege protects from disclosure to the government confidential communications made between clients and their attorneys. It has been around for centuries, and is considered a core protection in our system of justice.

“The crime fraud exception, though, allows the attorney client privilege to be broken in rare circumstances when two requirements are met:

“First, there needs to be a prima facie showing that the client was engaged in criminal conduct.

“Second, the client has to have obtained or sought the attorney’s assistance in furthering that crime…

“First of all, what was the crime they used as a predicate? Was it unlawful retention of the documents? If so, there’s nothing in the indictment that I can see indicating that Corcoran’s communications with Trump would have furthered that in a way that would justify breaching privilege…

“In any case, the Special Counsel is going to have to show why the communications in question were a solicitation by Trump to Corcoran to join him in criminal acts, as opposed to Trump asking a lawyer he hired to advise him on his legal defense, to tell him what his options were, or to outline what defensive steps might be possible, and what was done by others in previous cases like Hillary’s emails…”

A very insightful legal analysis.

More Censorship Against Trump

The New York Post wrote on June 19:

“A federal judge has blocked former President Donald Trump from disclosing evidence and sensitive information discussed in his classified documents case.

“US Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart, who signed off last August on the search warrant for the 77-year-old’s Mar-a-Lago resort, sided with the Justice Department on Monday after special counsel Jack Smith’s prosecutors filed a motion to keep the evidence in the case secured during the discovery process.

“The judge said Trump and co-defendant Walt Nauta cannot ‘disclose the Discovery Materials or their contents directly or indirectly to any person or entity other than persons employed to assist in the defense, persons who are interviewed as potential witnesses, counsel for potential witnesses, and other persons to whom the Court may authorize disclosure….’”

Sadly, the agenda behind all of this is SO obvious.

Trial Already in August?

Newsmax wrote on June 20:

“A federal judge in Florida has scheduled the criminal trial of former President Donald Trump on charges of illegal retention of classified government documents to start Aug. 14, ‘or as soon thereafter as the case may be called.’

“The order was signed Tuesday morning by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee. Cannon’s order said both sides must file pretrial motions by July 24.

“The Justice Department’s special counsel in the case, Jack Smith, promised a speedy trial after a 37-count indictment charging Trump with willfully retaining classified government records and obstructing justice.

“But the complexities of handling highly classified evidence, the degree to which Trump’s legal team challenges the government’s pretrial motions, and the way the judge manages the schedule could all lead to a trial that is anything but swift, legal experts say.

“And there is no guarantee the trial will start on the scheduled date, experts say.”

Fox News added on June 20:

“Federal Judge Aileen Cannon announced the preliminary court date Tuesday, but the final date for Trump’s trial is likely to change as the former president’s legal team is expected to request a delay….”

Schiff Censored in a House Divided

Fox News wrote on June 21:

“The House of Representatives voted Wednesday to censure Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., for pushing claims that former President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign colluded with Russia — a vote that made Schiff just the third member of the House to be censured since the turn of the century. The resolution passed 213-209 in a vote — every Republican voted for it except for six who voted “present,” and every Democrat voted against it.

“Immediately following the vote, Democrats gathered on the floor and chanted ‘Shame!’ and ‘Disgrace!’ as House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., tried to gavel the House in order for several minutes…

“McCarthy then asked Schiff to present himself in the well of the House, and Democrats clapped and cheered as he approached. After being interrupted several times by Democrats, McCarthy said, ‘I have all night.’ Schiff then stood in well of the House as required by the resolution, and was hugged and cheered by dozens of Democrats who surrounded him. The measure also requires the House Committee on Ethics to investigate Schiff’s ‘falsehoods, misrepresentations, and abuses of sensitive information.’…

“‘To my Republican colleagues who introduced this resolution, I thank you. You honor me with your enmity, you flatter me with this falsehood,’ Schiff said. ‘You, who are the authors of a big lie about the last election, must condemn the truth tellers,’ he said. ‘And I stand proudly before you. Your words tell me that I have been effective in the defense of our democracy, and I am grateful.’

“Schiff was a leader of Trump’s first impeachment proceeding…”

Schiff has repeatedly and quite dogmatically stated that there is evidence—more than just “circumstantial”— that Trump colluded with Russia. This was and is a BIG LIE for which Schiff must be held accountable. And shame on those Democrats who want to suppress the truth and uphold the lies, by supporting and cheering for Schiff, all just for the purpose to “get Trump.”

Joe Biden’s Worsening Dementia

Fox News wrote on June 16:

“President Biden caused an uproar of confusion Friday after closing his remarks at a Connecticut summit on gun control reform… [stating] ‘All right. God Save the Queen, man,’ before looking around to figure out where to walk offstage.

“The current monarch of the United Kingdom is King Charles III — as his mother, the long-serving Queen Elizabeth II, died in September. Connecticut, where Biden was speaking, was one of the 13 colonies to declare its independence from Britain in 1776…

“… the reaction to Biden’s closing utterance was… proffering questions about his widely-discussed cognitive acuity… Some observers wondered aloud Friday if the process to invoke the amendment to remove the president should be started, given his latest gaffe…

“Response from some United Kingdom natives was equally critical, as a former aide to the late Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher appeared to question Biden’s cognitive abilities… ‘The dementia is so bad that he now thinks he’s British,’ quipped Greg Price of the State Freedom Caucus Network…”

Biden’s lack of memory of recent events does give credence to the assumption of his worsening dementia. For instance, he could not remember that he had been in Ireland for several days shortly after his return to the USA, even though he had publicly and with great fanfare declared his love for Ireland and his Irish ancestry, while visiting Ireland.

Impeaching Joe Biden

Breitbart wrote on June 22:

“Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) in the coming days will introduce articles of impeachment against President Joe Biden under a privileged resolution“By superseding House Republican leadership’s ability to control what comes to the House floor, Greene will launch articles of impeachment against Joe Biden, bypassing the usual process for bringing legislation to a full House vote. Greene’s resolution will force House Republicans to vote on the measure. ‘I don’t know what it’s going to take to get them to realize what fools Republicans look like in Congress for not moving forward on impeachment,’ Greene exclusively told Breitbart News.

“‘Joe Biden is a criminal,’ she said. ‘And as vice president of the United States, he committed crimes. He committed crimes, high crimes, and misdemeanors.’ ‘We now know on the Oversight Committee through our investigation that he took a $5 million bribe from a Ukrainian oligarch in order to get Victor Shokin fired — the prosecutor that was investigating Burisma,’ she said. ‘We have bank records after bank records after bank records showing that money was transferred, wire transferred in, from all kinds of countries all over the world, from all kinds of foreign nationals and businesses and state governments into the fake LLC, paying the Biden family members,’ Greene continued. ‘Everyone knows this,’ she said. ‘But for some reason, Republicans in Congress can’t even start the process of impeachment…’ Greene told Breitbart News her privileged resolution posted on Congress.gov was the most viewed bill on the site all Wednesday.

“But despite the grassroots interest in the bill, Greene said Republican members on the House Judiciary Committee do not support the impeachment effort… Greene’s resolution could be ready for a vote as soon as Friday. If the legislative language is not ready by then, she told Breitbart News it will be voted upon when members of Congress return to Washington, DC, in two weeks.”

CNN wrote on June 21 about a similar motion by GOP Republican Lauren Boebert:

“Speaker Kevin McCarthy urged House Republicans to vote against the resolution brought forward by GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado forcing a vote to impeach President Joe Biden this week, arguing now is not the right time…

“McCarthy argued that Republicans should let committee investigations play out and warning that jumping to impeachment now could threaten their slim majority… The speaker noted that House Republicans have taken back the House five times in the last 100 years, and two of those times lost the majority the next cycle…”

To gain votes seems to be much more important than to establish righteousness in the land. 

Hunter Biden’s “Sweetheart Deal”

The New York Post wrote on June 20:

“As part of the deal, the 53-year-old will plead guilty to misdemeanor counts of willful failure to pay federal income tax for 2017 and 2018 and enter a pre-trial diversion on a felony gun possession charge, meaning that charge could be dropped if he meets certain requirements… ‘Wow! The corrupt Biden DOJ just cleared up hundreds of years of criminal liability by giving Hunter Biden a mere “traffic ticket.” Our system is BROKEN!’ Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform…

“‘As President Trump predicted, Biden’s Justice Department is cutting a sweetheart deal with Hunter Biden in order to make their bogus case to “get Trump” appear fair. Meanwhile, Biden’s DOJ continues to turn a blind eye to the Biden family’s extensive corruption and bribery scheme,’ Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for Make America Great Again Inc., said in a statement. Earlier this month, Trump predicted, ‘They’ll hit Hunter with something small to make their strike on me look “fair.”’…

“‘It continues to show the two-tiered system in America. If you are the president’s leading political opponent, the DOJ literally tries to literally put you in jail, give you prison time. If you are the president’s son, you get a sweetheart deal,’ contended Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). ‘Now this does nothing to our investigation. It actually should enhance our investigation because the DOJ should not be able to withhold any information now,’ added McCarthy, referring to an ongoing probe of the first son by the House Oversight Committee. ‘They should be able to provide Chairman [James] Comer with any information he requires.’

“Comer (R-Ky.) himself decried the development as a ‘slap on the wrist… when growing evidence uncovered by the House Oversight Committee reveals the Bidens engaged in a pattern of corruption, influence peddling, and possibly bribery.’ ‘These charges against Hunter Biden and sweetheart plea deal have no impact on the Oversight Committee’s investigation,’ Comer added. ‘We will not rest until the full extent of President Biden’s involvement in the family’s schemes are revealed.’…”

Time will tell…

The Investigation Is Ongoing…?

The New York Post wrote on June 21:

“Hunter Biden appears to have ducked other possible charges — including money laundering, bribery and human trafficking — as part of a plea agreement he entered into with federal prosecutors… Hunter likely violated the Foreign Registration Act (FARA) while negotiating lucrative business deals with entities in China, Mexico, Romania, Russia and Ukraine during and after Joe Biden’s tenure as vice president — with George Washington University Law Professor Jonathan Turley last year calling the evidence ‘unassailable and undeniable.’…

“The office of Delaware US Attorney David Weiss announced the charges but added that its ‘investigation is ongoing.’ However, Cornell law professor Robert Hockett told The Post Tuesday that statement amounted to a prosecutorial formality… ‘Certainly new charges could be brought, but they would have to be brought on the basis of new evidence,’ Hockett added. ‘Once a judge approves the deal and it’s finalized then no additional charges can be brought later on the basis of the evidentiary record that we currently have.’”

The New York Post published on June 21 the following related opinion piece by Michael Goodwin:

“To express disappointment in the results of the Hunter Biden probe is to admit you ever believed it was an actual and honest investigation… Santa Claus is more real than the integrity of the FBI and Justice Department under Joe Biden… That’s another way of saying there is no justice system… This is what happens in Third World countries, and now it’s happening in America…

“Although Weiss says in his filing that, ‘The investigation is ongoing,’ that’s more likely a fig leaf so he and the FBI can duck congressional scrutiny by saying they can’t comment on an ongoing case…”

The Post Editorial Board wrote on June 20:

‘Despite the obvious impropriety of the Justice Department investigating the president’s son (and as that president repeatedly, loudly and publicly declared his son innocent), Attorney General Merrick Garland refused to name an independent counsel to take this case.

“If a special prosecutor of clear integrity had offered this plea deal now, it’d still stink but might be something the public could swallow. But as things stand, the only possible conclusion is that Justice is corrupt.”

What Justice? As was pointed out above, America has no justice system. As we read in Isaiah 59:14:

“Justice is turned back, And righteousness stands afar off; For truth is fallen in the street, And equity cannot enter.”

The Cover-Up of the Justice Department in the Hunter Biden Case

 The New York Post wrote on June 22:

“Two IRS whistleblowers told Congress in closed-door testimony released Thursday that the Justice Department waged a coverup in the tax fraud investigation of first son Hunter Biden — revealing stunning details of alleged interference and new evidence indicating President Biden was involved in his son’s foreign dealings…

“The revelation that Biden appointees blocked charges against his son is politically explosive because Attorney General Merrick Garland testified under oath to Congress earlier this year that Weiss was empowered to bring charges outside of Delaware. Intentionally misleading Congress is a crime. Weiss… sought to be appointed special counsel in the case at least twice… but was turned down by the Biden Justice Department, both whistleblowers alleged…”

Breitbart added on June 22:

“House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) told reporters Thursday that the Justice Department twice prevented United States Attorney David Weiss from bringing stronger charges against Hunter Biden… ‘The testimony we released today shows the IRS recommended charges against Hunter Biden that included attempt to evade or defeat tax, a felony; fraud or false statements, a felony; and willful failure to file returns, supply information, or pay tax,’ Smith said. ‘These tax crimes cover an estimated $2.2 million and unreported tax on global income streams to Mr. Biden and his associates from Ukraine, Romania, and China totaling $17.3 million from 2014 to 2019.’

“‘Mr. Biden personally received $8.3 million,’ Smith added. ‘Whistleblowers detail foreign payments to Mr. Biden, including $664,000 from the Chinese company, state energy HK, a large diamond worth $80,000, and a Porsche worth $142,000. These payments are just a fraction of the total, but they provide insight into a world of wealth and influence that no ordinary American would recognize.’…

“The whistleblowers revealed IRS investigators were told by U.S. Attorney Lesley Wolf that because the evidence would be found in the guest house of former Vice President Biden, ‘There is no way’ a search warrant for evidence would ever get approved…”

Maybe that is true when it applies to Joe Biden. It most certainly is not true when it applies to Donald Trump. 

Tucker Carlson: USA Moving Towards Full-Fledged Dictatorship Under Biden

LifeSiteNews wrote on June 16:

“Mocking leftist protests to the contrary, Tucker Carlson laid out the case on Thursday evening for why the Joe Biden presidency represents the final stages of transforming the United States into a full-fledged dictatorship during the latest installment of his new show on Twitter.

‘With sharp satire, Carlson compared Joe Biden, his administration, and the legacy media with dictatorships from around the world. This included the common corruption in arresting the dictator’s principle political rivals, their enriching of their family selling political influence, the thwarting of large protests through murder (Ashli Babbitt) and intimidation (SWAT-type raids and draconian treatment of political dissenters), censorship, comprehensive surveillance and a focus on destroying parental rights over their children…

“‘The one thing that all dictators have in common is they enrich themselves and their families, their tribe, even as the countries they govern grow steadily poorer and more desperate,’ he said. ‘They take kickbacks from businesses and from other dictators [and] they use the official functions of their government to funnel cash to themselves.’

“Furthermore, ‘in a dictatorship, it’s no longer possible to fight injustice’, Carlson continued. ‘People can’t gather in large numbers to protest the rule of the dictator. If they try that, they’ll be arrested by the state security services… And by the way, it’s not just public protests that would be banned in a dictatorship. You wouldn’t be allowed to complain from your own home… Unauthorized opinions expressed on the internet would be censored...

“Furthermore, ‘the wannabe dictator’ exercises profound surveillance over the population… ‘The administration already knows what you buy, of course, because they have leaned on the big banks to turn over your confidential credit card information…’

“After a sarcastic demonstration on how the U.S. legacy media protects Biden like the state-run media of North Korea protected dictator Kim Il Sung, Carlson said, ‘And by the way, if Joe Biden was a wannabe dictator, he’d have the family to match… A dictator would… claim dominion over the most intimate parts of his citizens’ lives. He’d define what attitudes they were allowed to have about sex and religion and how to raise their families. He would, even in his final grandiose stage of dictatorship, claim ownership of their children,’ he said.”

“According to retired congressman and former presidential candidate Ron Paul, the neoconservatives are ideological heirs of early Bolshevik terrorist Leon Trotsky in believing in ‘permanent revolution, violent as well as intellectual,’ in advancing an American Empire, through ‘hard politics,’ and that ‘lying is necessary’ to achieve their objectives. They also support aggressive ‘imperialism’ to enforce a ‘progressive’ agenda on other nations and ‘using American might to force’ the implementation of these objectives.”

Has America, like Canada, already become a dictatorship? You be the judge!

Israel Opposed to ANY Deal Between the USA and Iran

The Associated Press wrote on June 18:

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that he opposes any interim agreement reportedly being negotiated between the U.S. and Iran over its nuclear program…

“Netanyahu vehemently opposed the 2015 deal between Iran and world powers brokered by the Obama administration that sought to rein in Iran’s nuclear program…

“Israel considers a nuclear Iran as a major threat, citing its calls for Israel’s destruction and its support for anti-Israel militant groups across the region.

“Israel says it does not rule out military action to prevent Iran from making a nuclear weapon.”

Such military action might very well take place.

Can Pope Francis Bring Peace to Ukraine?

Herald Malaysia Online wrote on June 17:

“Pope Francis has launched a peace mission aimed at finding a settlement of the Russia-Ukraine war, upsetting Ukraine’s allies with his refusal to insist that Russia leave Ukraine as a starting point for negotiations.

“For their part, the Russians simply ignore the Pope.”

Even though the Pope’s role in this area seems to be rather irrelevant and futile, Ukraine and Russia WILL unite in the future.

Western Sanctions Against Russia Huge Mistake

Modern Diplomacy wrote on June 17:

“The West’s sweeping sanctions on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine are shaping up to be the West’s most monumental miscalculation in modern history. The sanctions have not brought the Russian economy to its knees, as was widely predicted. Instead, it’s the Western economies that are reeling, their economic growth all but stopped. Many of them are simultaneously suffering from both high inflation and energy shortages.

“Russia, meanwhile, is not only surviving but thriving, acquiring more potency and prestige throughout Asia, Africa and South America than at any time since the collapse of the Soviet Union… the Russian economy will grow faster than Germany’s or the UK’s this year. Next year, it will also grow faster than those of the U.S., Japan, Italy, and much of the rest of the West…

“Russia has been able to ramp up its own military production rate so effectively that its artillery can massively out-pound Ukraine’s, firing between 40,000 and 50,000 shells per day versus Ukraine’s 5,000-6,000. While Russia’s arms production is on a high-output war footing, the West’s has been unable to keep pace. America’s focus on supplying Ukraine has compromised its ability to meet other goals, such as deterring China’s expansion and maintaining readiness to respond elsewhere.

“Russia’s military robustness is all the more noteworthy given that it has the world’s largest nuclear arsenal and a now-close alliance with China’s military. The ascendancy of what is dubbed the ‘Russia-China axis’ and the widespread perception of the West’s decline has in turn convinced other militaries to associate with a winner. In September, India, Laos, Mongolia, Nicaragua and various former Soviet states joined Russia and China in war games in the Sea of Japan and Russia’s Far East, and in February, South Africa hosted Russia and China for 10 days of joint naval drills…

“In Asia, both China and India have dramatically deepened their ties to Russia. In South America, Russia is embraced by the new socialist government of its largest economy, Brazil, as it was by Brazil’s former conservative government. In the Middle East, where the U.S. is widely distrusted, Russia has good relations with Israel as well as with all the major Muslim nations, whether Sunni or Shia, Arab or Turkish…

“While Russia may be shunned by the West, it is welcomed by most of the rest, as seen in the regional alliances in which Russia plays a leading role: the Russia-China-led Shanghai Cooperation Council, which includes former Soviet countries as well as India and Pakistan, and the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), whose GDP now exceeds that of the G7. Some two dozen countries have expressed interest in joining Russia in these economic and security alliances, including major regional powers such as Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iran, Egypt, Indonesia, and Mexico.

“The West’s sanctions, the most severe ever imposed on a country, were meant to teach Russia the lesson that ‘aggression does not pay,’ in the words of NATO’s Stoltenberg. The ferocity of the sanctions, the subsequent cancellation of Russian artists and athletes in the West, and expectation of an end of the Russian Federation by political and military elites such as Former Commanding General of the US Army in Europe, General Ben Hodges, shocked Russia out of its complacency, and led it to [reach very different conclusions]: That the West was determined to destroy it, and that its existence required it to arm itself to the teeth and end its economic interdependence with the West.”

The Bible prophecies a strong Far Eastern power bloc under Russian and Chinese leadership, with the support and collaboration of many other nations.

Europe’s Military to Be Independent of America

The Associated Press wrote on June 20:

“French President Emmanuel Macron called on European nations Monday to seek more independence on airspace defense and advocated against relying too much on the U.S…

“Macron pushed for European defense equipment manufacturers to build independent military systems and relocate production on the continent. He also called for enhanced European standards…

“France has been openly critical of German-led plans for improved European air defense capabilities. The so-called European Sky Shield project, launched at the end of last year, is made up of 17 European nations including the U.K. – but not France. It’s meant to be integrated within NATO air and missile defense systems. The French government believes the project doesn’t adequately preserve European sovereignty, because it’s expected to be largely based on U.S. and Israeli industry…

“Defense has been a recurrent bone of contention between the two countries, with France complaining that Germany wasn´t doing enough in the area for years – until the war in Ukraine led Berlin to announce a major boost to military spending….”

Ultimately, the view point of Macron will prevail.

Synthetic Human Embryos Created

The Guardian wrote on June 14:

“Scientists have created synthetic human embryos using stem cells, in a groundbreaking advance that sidesteps the need for eggs or sperm…

“However, the work also raises serious ethical and legal issues as the lab-grown entities fall outside current legislation in the UK and most other countries.

“The structures do not have a beating heart or the beginnings of a brain, but include cells that would typically go on to form the placenta, yolk sac and the embryo itself…

“There is also a significant unanswered question on whether these structures, in theory, have the potential to grow into a living creature. The synthetic embryos grown from mouse cells were reported to appear almost identical to natural embryos. But when they were implanted into the wombs of female mice, they did not develop into live animals.

“In April, researchers in China created synthetic embryos from monkey cells and implanted them into the wombs of adult monkeys, a few of which showed the initial signs of pregnancy but none of which continued to develop beyond a few days. Scientists say it is not clear whether the barrier to more advanced development is merely technical or has a more fundamental biological cause…”

Whenever scientists try to play God, we are entering a very dangerous territory.

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.