EU Coalitions of the Willing or Core Europe Needed

Carnegie Europe wrote on September 17:

“The EU is clearly at its strongest and most convincing and has the most global impact when the twenty-seven countries speak with one voice but also really act together. That’s the nice theory. The reality is different… EU coalitions of the willing—and decisions by qualified majority voting—are inevitable. They are also essential if Europe is to matter in this challenging post-pandemic environment and not be relegated to the role of passive bystander…

“… a second administration by U.S. President Donald Trump would definitely uproot any resemblance of U.S.-European special relationship, dismantling NATO, cozying up to Putin, pointlessly feuding with China, and pushing for a Middle East settlement with no role for EU diplomacy.”

As Trump WILL stay in office, the US-EU relationship WILL deteriorate even more… This, in turn, means that a core Europe WILL develop soon which will give its power and authority to the “beast.” Then, Europe will NOT be a passive bystander in the Middle East… just the opposite.

Europe Knows that USA Is Right, but Does not Want to Support it

 Newsmax wrote on September 20:

“Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday lamented Europe isn’t on board with the United States in its effort to stop arms sales by Iran. In an interview on Fox News… Pompeo asserted ‘they know we are right’ in wanting to extend the international arms embargo on Iran…

“‘They tell us privately we don’t want the arm sales to come back and they put it in the letter they are very concerned about these sales but they haven’t lifted a finger and done the work that needs to be done,’ he said… ‘They are still wedded to this silly nuclear deal that was signed now five years ago.’”

But the EU does not care about who is right or wrong, as long as they can oppose Trump and cowardly kneel to Iran. Note the next article.

Germany, France and UK Oppose USA

The Guardian wrote on September 20:

“European leaders have warned the US that its claim to have the authority to reimpose sweeping UN-mandated sanctions on Iran has no effect in law, setting up a major legal clash that could lead to Washington imposing sanctions on its European allies. In a joint statement on Sunday, France, Germany and the UK (E3) said any attempt by the US to impose its own sanctions on countries not complying with the reimposed UN ones was also legally void.

“On Saturday, the US moved to reinstate a range of UN sanctions against Iran, saying it had the authority to do so as an original signatory of the joint comprehensive plan of action (JCPOA), the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and other major powers. The other signatories claim the US left the JCPOA in 2018 and therefore no longer has a unilateral legal right to either declare Iran in breach of the agreement or to reimpose sanctions in the name of the UN.

“The dispute leaves the US at loggerheads with much of the world on whether UN sanctions have been reimposed. The disagreement is not just a legal wrangle since the Trump administration claims the US now has the authority to act against any country breaching the reimposed sanctions. The US also claims the scheduled lifting of the UN embargo on arms sales to Iran in October is null and void. There is also a risk that the US will claim it has a new mandate to interdict Iranian shipping, a move that could lead to a naval clash in the Gulf.”

This conflict is bound to become a major escalation between the USA and much of the world.

Controlling US Tech Giants

Business Insider wrote on September 20:

“The EU is looking to give itself sweeping new powers to crack down on US tech giants, EU commissioner Thierry Breton revealed… [saying] the new powers the EU is seeking include punitive measures such as forcing tech companies to break off and sell their European operations should their market dominance grow too large.

“Another massive penalty being considered is that the EU could boot tech firms out of the European single market altogether. Breton said these measures would only be used in extreme circumstances, but did not elaborate on what would qualify as extreme… ‘There is a feeling from end-users of these platforms that they are too big to care… We need better supervision for these big platforms…’

“Alongside these powers is a proposed rating system which would give companies scores on categories including tax compliance and how quickly they take down illegal content. The proposals have not yet been finalized, and once they’re submitted, they will have to be approved by the European Parliament and the European Council. Breton said the first draft of the new laws would be ready by the end of this year.

“Europe isn’t the only place where Silicon Valley is facing increased regulation. President Donald Trump is trying to…  weaken legal protections currently afforded to internet companies under a US law [which] protects companies from being liable for illegal content posted by users, and gives them broad powers to moderate their platforms.”

As we mentioned before, these tech giants have no constitutional mandate to protect free speech. But governmental intrusion to compel them to take down illegal content might be equally problematic, depending on how governments define “illegal” content.

Belarus and “Brotherly” Ukraine

Deutsche Welle wrote on September 17:

“Embattled Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko on Thursday said troops would be pulled from the street to guard its borders with EU countries. ‘We are compelled to withdraw our troops from the streets, have half our army on guard and close our state border with the West, first of all with Lithuania and Poland,’ said Lukashenko. ‘To our greatest regret, we are compelled to strengthen our border with brotherly Ukraine.’…

“On Friday, nearly 30 countries issued a joint statement calling on Belarusian authorities to end internet blackouts…”

Still, Ukraine and Belarus will become part of or at least supporters of Russia, in opposition to the EU.

Thousands of Brits May Lose their Bank Accounts in Europe

The Guardian wrote on September 21:

“Thousands of Britons living in the EU will have their UK bank accounts closed by the end of the year because of the UK’s failure to agree [to] a post-Brexit trade deal. Lloyds, Barclays and Coutts have informed retail and business customers that they will lose their accounts before or when the Brexit transition period ends on 31 December and more banks are expected to follow suit. Lloyds Banking Group, which includes Halifax and Bank of Scotland, has contacted its 13,000 customers in the Netherlands, Slovakia, Germany, Ireland and Portugal, warning them they must make alternative arrangements as the bank is no longer allowed to offer services…

“Last week, the Dutch National Bank confirmed that UK banks will no longer be able to provide current or savings accounts to retail customers in the Netherlands.”

The separation between the EU and the UK becomes bigger.

Hyperactive Atlantic Hurricane Season

The Week wrote on September 19:

“Tropical Storm Beta formed in the Gulf of Mexico on Friday night right after Tropical Storm Wilfred and Subtropical Storm Alpha in the Atlantic, marking the first time since certainly 1953 — when storms were first named — and possibly 1893 that three new storms were named in one day. There have been 23 named storms during the 2020 hurricane season.

“Because the World Meteorological Organization skips the letters Q, U, X, Y, and Z, forecasters officially ran out of planned names for the season with Winifred, forcing them to turn to the Greek alphabet. It’s only the second time that the Atlantic hurricane season has made it through the alphabet and the earliest that has happened as well, underscoring this year’s hyperactivity. Winifred is expected to fizzle out before hitting land, Alpha is headed toward Europe, and Beta could become a Hurricane that poses a serious threat to the Texas coast.”

Newsmax wrote on September 20:

“Tropical Storm Beta on Sunday was making a slow crawl to the shores of Texas and Louisiana, casting worries about heavy rain, flooding and storm surge across the Gulf Coast. Beta was one of three named storms whirling in the Atlantic basin during an exceptionally busy hurricane season. If the system makes landfall in Texas — which forecasters predict it will sometime Monday — it would be the ninth named storm to make landfall in the continental U.S. in 2020. Colorado State hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach said that would tie a record set in 1916.”

Who can honestly deny the fact that the USA IS cursed?

Fierce Battle over US Supreme Court Looms

Reuters and The Algemeiner wrote on September 19:

“A fierce political battle was shaping up on Saturday over the future of the US Supreme Court after the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, with Democrats opposing any move by President Donald Trump to nominate a replacement this late in an election year.

“Ginsburg, the senior liberal justice, died on Friday night at age 87 of complications from metastatic pancreatic cancer after 27 years on the court. Her death gives Trump, who is seeking re-election on Nov. 3, a chance to expand the court’s conservative majority to 6-3 at a time of a gaping political divide in America… Supreme Court appointments require Senate confirmation, and Trump’s fellow Republicans control the chamber, holding 53 seats of the 100 seats. Democrats lack the votes to block any Trump nominee unless some Republican senators join them.

“With the assistance of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has made confirmation of Trump’s federal judicial nominees a top priority, the president potentially could announce a nominee and move rapidly through the confirmation process, which usually takes at least two months… McConnell pledged that the Senate would vote on any Trump nominee…

“Conservative activists for years have sought to get enough votes on the Supreme Court to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. During the 2016 campaign, Trump promised to appoint justices who would overturn that decision. But the court in July, even with its conservative majority, struck down a restrictive Louisiana abortion law on a 5-4 vote…”

After Jewish Justice Ginsberg’s death on the Feast of Trumpets, Trump said Republicans have the “obligation” to move forward with the selection of a new Supreme Court Justice “without delay.” Trump announced that he will nominate a woman by this weekend. After Mitt Romney announced that he will vote for the nomination, enough Republican votes in the Senate have been secured so that Trump’s victory of getting a new conservative judge is assured.

House Approves Stopgap Measure to Avoid Shutdown

The Week wrote on September 23:

“The House passed a stopgap funding bill on Tuesday with a 359-57 vote, averting a government shutdown after the budget year ends on Sept. 30. This measure, which keeps federal agencies running through Dec. 11, is expected to pass in the Senate. It includes Agriculture Department subsidies for farmers and ranchers, which was pushed by the Trump administration, as well as food aid for poor families whose children cannot get free or reduced lunches due to schools being closed, something House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) requested. In addition to keeping agencies funded, the measure also extends health programs, as well as federal flood insurance and highway and transit programs.”

Anarchist Jurisdictions in New York City, Portland and Seattle

The Daily Mail wrote on September 21:

“The Justice Department declared New York City, Portland, and Seattle as ‘anarchist jurisdictions’ that can have federal funding ripped away for failing to clamp down on violence according to its criteria. It listed the three cities as among those ‘that have permitted violence and destruction of property to persist and have refused to undertake reasonable measures to counteract criminal activity.’

“The designation comes with billions of dollars in federal funding at stake, following President Donald Trump’s order to make the designations amid violence and property damage that occurred during a summer of protests…”

Democrats cry foul, but are they blind towards what is going on in these cities under their rule?

Biden’s Incredible Screw-Ups… or Lies….

MSN wrote on September 20:

“Speaking Sunday afternoon in Philadelphia, the former vice president said 200 million people will die from the coronavirus ‘probably by the time I finish this talk.’ Either that or he said 200 million have died already from the pandemic. It is not clear exactly what he meant to say. What is clear is that Biden said the COVID-19 death toll in the United States is somewhere in the millions. It is not…

“Biden almost certainly meant to say that 200 million have died already from the coronavirus, not that 200 million likely died in the time that it took for him to deliver his address in Philadelphia. But, man alive, that is not much of a defense. Biden’s number is nowhere near close to being accurate. As of this writing, the total number of COVID-19-related deaths in the U.S. stands at 199,479… Biden is off by a magnitude of 199,800,521. Missed it by that much.

“The question now is whether Biden’s estimate is a simple screw-up or an intentional falsehood. Given how badly he botched his reading of his prepared remarks, it seems more likely the Democratic nominee merely made a mistake when he said ‘million’ instead of ‘thousand.’ After all, he did get the ‘200’ part right.

“Then again… Biden tends to overstate estimates. Badly. Biden claimed earlier this year during a visit to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, that 120 million people had died from the coronavirus. Not even close. Earlier than that, the Democratic nominee claimed 150 million Americans have been killed by gun violence since 2007. Again, that is not even close to being true. There is also the fact that Biden has a long, long history of exaggerating, embellishing, and outright lying.

“Did Biden intentionally lie Sunday? Probably not. It was probably an honest gaffe… is more likely that along with everything else he screwed up during his address, he simply bungled the COVID-19 death toll. But that is what happens when one tells as many lies as Biden has. Even honest screw-ups must be handled with suspicion.”

We know that Trump lies. We also know that Biden lies. What a choice for voters…

Nobel Peace Prize for Trump?

The Hill wrote on September 19:

“President Trump ‘has broken a 39-year streak of American presidents either starting a war or bringing the United States into an international armed conflict.’ The Norwegian official who said that, in nominating Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, minced no words about why the president should win it.

“Trump’s Peace Prize nomination has yet again killed expertise. For decades, the self-proclaimed experts have peddled solutions that never worked. Now, while the president brokers historic peace deals in a region where 4,500 American military members died, the experts propose cancelling the Peace Prize. Instead, if the Nobel committee fails to award the Peace Prize to Trump next month, the Peace Prize will end itself. ‘For his merit,’ said the Norwegian official of Trump, ‘I think he has done more trying to create peace between nations than most other Peace Prize nominees.’

“No doubt that is true. Certainly, Trump has created more peace than 1994 winner Yasser Arafat — and more than the 2009 winner, then-President Obama, who relied heavily on foreign policy experts to downgrade America’s preeminence in world affairs.  Foreign policy experts countered former President Reagan in his fight against communism. They opposed Reagan at every turn; he ignored them and won the Cold War…

“Trump campaigned on promising to end our ‘forever’ wars… His agenda was clear. His goals were unpopular with foreign policy experts but popular with the families of our military members, not to mention with taxpayers. Why pay for no discernible progress in Iraq and Afghanistan while our own infrastructure crumbles at home?…”

Even the EU received the peace prize in 2012. This is something to contemplate…

California Discriminates against Churches

Newsmax wrote on September 20:

“Democrat leadership in California has gone so far in overreaching its ‘authority’ on pandemic restrictions, churches are forced to crusade to get their rights back… according to San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Joseph Cordileone…

“‘The government really has no authority to tell us whether or not we can worship,’ he said. ‘They have no authority to tell us whether or not we’re essential. They have no authority to tell us what forms of worship are essential and which are not… Religious freedom is a fundamental right; it’s protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution. It’s not given by the First Amendment; it’s protected by the First Amendment.’

“San Francisco is not respecting the rights of its constituents, and is ‘absolutely targeting’ people of faith, he added. ‘… They are discriminating against us…’ People of faith need to rise up against the Democrat leaders doing it, he concluded. ‘I sense that people are getting really fed up…’”

There can be no doubt about this. Note the next article.

Political and Legal Persecution of California Church Continues

Patch wrote on September 13:

“Grace Community Church in Sun Valley held a packed morning service Sunday, defying a court order directing them to refrain from holding indoor services due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Pastor John MacArthur prefaced the service by complaining about the many health measures required by local and state authorities to prevent further spread of the coronavirus.

“‘The question has come up a number of times about why Grace Church does not just comply with the orders that have been laid down for churches, and I thought it might be helpful to give you the list of things that are required of us as a church, so that you understand how utterly impossible that would be,’ MacArthur said. He then read a long list of requirements, occasionally drawing laughter from parishioners at rules about parking, restroom protocols and social distancing. MacArthur said following all the rules would ‘completely shut the church down.’

“… On Thursday, a judge issued a temporary restraining order directing the church to refrain from holding indoor services, saying there’s an ‘immediate threat to public health and safety due to the COVID-19 pandemic.’ Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell L. Beckloff also directed Grace Community Church to mandate that congregation members wear masks and practice physical distancing if the house of worship decides to hold outdoor services. Beckloff heard arguments on Los Angeles County’s motion for a preliminary injunction on Sept. 4, then took the case under submission before ruling. Both he and Judge James Chalfant had collectively denied the county’s four previous bids for a temporary restraining order, but Beckloff said this time, the county had ‘demonstrated a likelihood of success on the merits’ of its claims…

“Church attorney Charles LiMandri said there will be an appeal… ‘The coronavirus is dying out,’ LiMandri said, while maintaining that the massive protests that came after the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police sparked the rise in cases, not people going to church. ‘They are targeting the church, they don’t go after the protesters,’ LiMandri said…”

That extremely left-wing California is targeting and discriminating against Christian churches is obvious. A movement has begun to recall Governor Newsom, but the question is, who would replace him? California has not been very fortunate with having a somewhat competent governor, Ronald Reagan being a notable exception. Arnold Schwarzenegger did not deliver what he had promised, and subsequently lost even more credibility due to his long-lasting infidelity and his ridiculous support of wearing masks, self-isolation and house arrests, and other California governors turned out to be corrupt.

To be clear, such illegal persecution is happening all over the world. Let’s take Germany as another example where constitutional rights are trampled underfoot. As Focus reported on September 22, a superior court judge from the state of North Rhine – Westphalia,  Thorsten Schleiff, voiced strongly his opposition to German politics, seriously infringing on fundamental constitutional rights of millions of citizens due to coronavirus measures, claiming that the courts should have prevented this but that many of his colleagues were too fearful and “panic-stricken” to do so. He is absolutely right.

The Peace Deal Mirage

EricMargolis.com wrote on September 21:

“The Trump administration… just manufactured its own news by confecting a ‘peace’ deal between Israel and a bunch of… Arab monarchies… The Gulf monarchies – the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain – that signed this agreement are so frightened of neighboring Iran that they would happily have opted for Israeli rule…

“Few Americans could find these little sheikdoms on a map. But many evangelical voters… will think the Trump administration has achieved a major feat by supposedly bringing peace to the Holy Land…

“The United Arab Emirates, population just under 10 million, is only 10% Arab. The rest of its people are mainly Indians and Pakistani…

“As for peace in the Mideast, recall the biting words of Roman historian Tacitus, ‘where they make a desert they call it peace.’…”

… and a mirage it IS…

New Lockdowns… Insane!

The Times of Israel wrote on September 17:

“Israel will become the world’s first country to reimpose [a second] lockdown on Friday… Scheduled to last for at least three weeks, the imminent national closure has been met with fury by many Israelis,… decrying the economic consequences, and devastated at the idea of the Jewish holiday season confined within 500 meters of their homes.

“In an address to the nation on Thursday evening, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted not only that the lockdown is necessary, but that around the world, other governments will also face the decision of whether to impose new nationwide lockdowns, ‘and most of them in my opinion will have no choice but to do so.’  By contrast, opposition leader Yair Lapid is adamant. The lockdown, he says, ‘is an admission of failure. The citizens are being punished because the government failed.’ Lapid called it a ‘death blow to the Israeli economy,’ and predicted that it won’t save lives…

“Doctors are divided as to whether the coming lockdown is actually the solution with the best chance of success… It’s telling that official notices of lockdown rules don’t feature a firm end date. The ‘three week lockdown’ could wind up lasting much longer.”

And so, Satan is vigorously pursuing his goal of imprisoning the entire world, knowing that this is his fate when Christ returns.

Israel Is Getting Mad

The Times of Israel wrote on September 20:

“Police on Sunday afternoon said they had handed out 2,802 fines over the past day for various infractions of lockdown rules and other coronavirus regulations…

“Police said the majority of fines, 2,044, were given to people who ventured out over a kilometer from their homes without valid cause. Another 629 were given for failure to wear masks, 37 were handed out for breaking quarantine, 30 were given to businesses or other locations that opened against the rules, and other small numbers for various offenses.”

This IS insane autocratic dictatorship!

Sleepwalking into a Second Lockdown

The Daily Mail published on September 19 an article by Professor Karol Sikora:

“Britain is now in grave danger of sleepwalking into a second national lockdown. The consequences of doing so would be disastrous. We find ourselves in this wretched position partly because the Government’s main achievement since the pandemic first emerged in China has not been suppressing the virus or saving lives or the economy, but in spreading irrational fear… The disruption to family life caused by the summer lockdown, and the new restrictions imposed since then, have demoralised and isolated many. Their fear has been compounded by the actions of a Government that is not in charge of events, buffeted by the conflicting advice of scientists…

“… a return to a blanket lockdown is the last thing we should be contemplating if we are serious about the nation’s mental and physical well-being. We simply cannot afford to panic… the vast majority of those currently testing positive for Covid are experiencing mild symptoms and remain in good overall health. The other point to remember is that the terrible death toll Britain suffered in the spring was due largely to the grotesque error of clearing hospitals of elderly patients and sending them, untested, into care homes… Not a single young child has died in the UK from Covid without some other serious pre-existing condition… anyone under 50 is more likely to die in a car crash than from the virus…

“My field is cancer. I make no apology for highlighting that 30,000 extra cancer deaths will soon emerge thanks to delays in doctors picking up symptoms and in patients being referred for scans and tests. Tragically, these people are doomed to die, though many of them do not know it yet. Many will be thirty or forty years younger than the vast majority of those dying of Covid. And it’s not just cancer: Roughly 100,000 people suffer a stroke every year. This year, almost one third of sufferers have put off seeking treatment during the pandemic, delaying the use of vital blood-thinning drugs that limit the long-term damage caused by a stroke…”

On September 20, BBC news gave the number of deaths from coronavirus in the last 24 hours and in small print below it read: “Deaths for any reason within 28 days of a positive test.” Now that’s interesting: Someone has a positive test and dies of cancer, a heart attack or a road accident within 28 days of the test and it counts as a coronavirus death! This is just plain dishonest and whipping up fear!

Express added on September 20:

“Boris Johnson announced new strict rules on Saturday which will see heavy penalties ushered in for rule-breakers. As of September 28, anyone caught ignoring the rules risks incurring a £1,000 fine while repeat offenders could be fined up to £10,000…

“Asked if people should be forced to fork out £10,000 for failing to quarantine themselves,… 57 percent… said yes. While… 42 percent… said Britons should not face such a hefty penalty. Only… one percent… of respondents said they didn’t know.”

That would mean, the majority of panic-driven manipulated Brits have gotten totally mad…

More Dangerous Nonsense from the UK

The Sun wrote on September 21:

“Boris Johnson [announced] a 10pm closing time for pubs… Northern Ireland’s first minister Arlene Foster said that people would be BANNED from mixing with other households inside… The clampdown will see pubs and restaurants shut down by patrols – and groups could be broken up and fined…

“First Minister Nicola Sturgeon… faces a backlash as ministers fear a second lockdown will kill the economy… People in the North and Midlands are already banned from visiting others in their homes or gardens, or hanging out with people they don’t live with in pubs and restaurants… This also means people who don’t live together can’t meet their lovers either…

“Wales also revealed today four new areas will face local lockdowns from tomorrow night, it was confirmed today… People can’t leave the area without a good reason – such as school or work… people will not be allowed to socialise with ANY friends and family outside of their own households either – inside or outside. That includes public places like pubs and parks, but also inside private homes and gardens too… Those measures could be seen across the nation.”

Boris Johnson also said his new measures might have to last for 6 months, and that “significantly greater restrictions” could be slapped on the country. He also said that the army could be used to help police enforce his restrictions. Britain will NEVER recover from this economic destruction. There have been enough studies and articles by now proving that such serious measures and lockdowns don’t work and are dangerous. Willful ignorance does not protect against or prevent disaster.

England and Sweden… a Comparison

Global Research wrote on September 20:

“… both countries were showing a slight decline in deaths over the last five years… less people were dying in Sweden than England… [within a] few months into 2020 (when the lockdowns began) both countries saw a sudden and sharp rise in deaths; but England’s peak was at least twice that of Sweden. Clearly a higher percentage of people have dropped dead in England than Sweden.

“Sweden of course had very little containment measures in place. Social distancing was done on a volunteer basis. There was no lockdown. Nursing homes were belatedly put into quarantine. England, on the other hand, went into full lockdown mode with police drones trailing joggers with a timer clicking away their allotted exercise ration…

“Sweden’s lack of restrictions did not hurt its population. The country’s winter death toll was not much higher than in 2015, 2017 and 2018. On the other hand, despite lockdown, masks and a social distancing police state, England saw about double the number of deaths it usually sees at that time of the year…

“As studies have shown, there are many reasons to conclude that locking people up, scaring them out of their minds and destroying their livelihood is quite harmful to their health.”

The Sun reported on September 22 that “lockdown-free Sweden [is] ‘on the brink of beating Covid after achieving herd immunity.’”

Wall Street Hits New Low

Newsmax wrote on September 21:

“Wall Street’s main indexes hit their lowest in nearly seven weeks on Monday as concerns about fresh coronavirus-driven lockdowns and a stalemate in Congress over more fiscal stimulus raised fears about another hit to the domestic economy… Wall Street has tumbled in the past three weeks as investors dumped heavyweight technology-related stocks…

“Another round of business restrictions will threaten a nascent recovery in the wider economy and add further pressure on equity markets, analysts said. The first round of lockdowns in March had led the S&P 500 to suffer its worst monthly decline since the global financial crisis.”

The evil consequences of ill-conceived lockdowns…

Spahn Speaks against Panic while Creating Panic

rtl wrote on September 19 about the following comments by German Health Minister Jens Spahn:

“Be watchful and alert, but don’t adopt an end time approach… there is no reason for that… the rising cases are caused mainly through parties, weddings and religious assemblies…”

These comments are not very comforting or reassuring… and the basis for his claimed reasons for rising cases is not supported by the evidence.

The Pope’s Latest Blasphemy

The New York Post wrote on September 20:

“Pope Francis reassured parents of LGBT children that ‘God loves your children as they are,’ and that there is a place in the church for them… The exchange came during a meeting last week with ‘Tenda di Gionata,’ or ‘Jonathan’s Tent,’ an Italian group of Christian parents of LBGT children founded in 2018…

“The group grew out of a church vigil in the northern city of Reggio Emilia, where [several] parents of LGBTQ children [met] — inspired by the preaching of the Rev. Paolo Cugini, who believes that ‘faith and homosexuality are not in opposition.’”

The Catholic Church might think and teach that way, but the Bible says otherwise. In the Word of God, the practice of homosexuality is an “abomination,” and children must NOT be taught that it is all right in the eyes of 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.

EU’s Further “Pressure” on Serbia

Army Technology wrote on September 10:

“Serbia has suspended all military exercises with foreign partners for six months citing ‘tremendous’ pressure from the European Union (EU). The move comes just a day before the beginning of Slavic Brotherhood 2020 military exercise in Belarus, in which Serbia was scheduled to participate. According to news reports, Serbia was pressured by the EU to withdraw from the exercise.

“In a statement, Serbian Minister of Defence Aleksandar Vulin said: ‘The pressures that make no sense and are not grounded in our decisions or our actions, or even in reality, are the result of hysteria, which determines political decisions and directions of great and powerful countries. We are required to suspend the planned military exercises with Belarus at the cost of abandoning our European future and at the cost of even greater pressure on our policy, but also on our people in Kosovo and Metohija and Republika Srpska.’

“According to the government decision, Serbia will not participate in any international military activity with any country in the following six months to preserve its neutrality. Furthermore, Serbia’s participation in peacekeeping operations will be considered and if required will also remain suspended. Minister Vulin added: ‘The process of equipping and strengthening our armed forces will not be stopped, and we will work to increase our combat readiness harder and more persistently than ever.’”

The dictatorship of the EU continues…

EU Threatens UK

Deutsche Welle wrote on September 12:

“The UK prime minister accused the EU of threatening to cut food deliveries between Northern Ireland and Britain…

“‘We are now hearing that, unless we agree to the EU’s terms, the EU will use an extreme interpretation of the Northern Ireland protocol to impose a full-scale trade border down the Irish Sea,’ Johnson wrote in an article that was published in the Daily Telegraph newspaper…

“He said the EU was posing a risk to the UK and peace in Northern Ireland, where sectarian violence had mostly been kept at bay since the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. He stated he wanted a trade deal similar to that between Canada and the EU, adding that ‘if the EU is willing to offer these terms to Canada then it makes sense to offer the same to us.’…

“European parliament leaders threatened to veto future UK-EU trade deals unless Johnson withdrew legislation attempting to alter parts of the Withdrawal Agreement.”

The relationship between the EU and the UK has become incurably bad.  

The Need for a European Army

The Atlantic Sentinel wrote on September 12:

“French president Emmanuel Macron called for a European army in 2018, arguing the EU needed to defend itself from ‘China, Russia and even the United States of America.’ Two years later, the argument for a common European defense is even stronger.

“China’s authoritarianism can no longer be denied. It has effectively revoked the autonomy of Hong Kong, is carrying out a cultural genocide against the Uighurs in west China, threatening its neighbors around the South China Sea and extending its reach as far west as Europe and as far north as the Arctic.

“Russia continues to abrogate international norms. It still supports Bashar Assad in Syria, who is responsible for driving millions of his compatriots from their homes, many of them fleeing to Europe; it still occupies the Crimea and still supports an insurgency in southeastern Ukraine.

“The United States are led by an impetuous president, who has accused the EU of ‘taking advantage’ of America, called NATO ‘obsolete’, withdrawn 9,500 soldiers from Germany, but expressed admiration for Vladimir Putin and doubts that he ordered the poisoning of Sergei Skripal, a defector, and Alexei Navalny, an opposition leader…

“Trump’s laments about Europe underinvesting in its defense are widely shared [in the USA]… Americans have been pulled into American-led wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, despite doubts from European leaders and opposition from European voters.

“A European army would address all these issues. If Europe is forced to confront its own geopolitical challenges, it will no longer have to yield to the interests of America… A European army would enhance — and require — greater integration between member states.

“The foundations are set. A Common Security and Defense Policy has nominally existed since 1999 and was strengthened by the Lisbon Treaty of 2009. Macron isn’t the first national leader to call for an EU army. François Mitterrand and Helmut Kohl expressed the same ambition in the 1990s. Europe’s noisy opposition to a common defense — the UK — is on its way out; with it, the main excuse for not taking action…

“An EU army would inhibit member states’ ability to conduct an independent foreign policy. Countries that share a border with Russia (like Finland) or have tried to maintain good relations with it (Austria, Cyprus, Greece, Italy) would be forced to take sides…

“Some countries are already sharing military resources. Belgium and the Netherlands have integrated their air defenses… Finland and Sweden announced bilateral military cooperation in 2013 and held a joint military exercise with NATO in 2019. Are others willing to do the same? Would Poland, for instance, be willing to put its soldiers under a German command and concede a significant level of sovereignty? Would Italy? Public opinion is divided. 89 percent of Lithuanians want a European army. Only 37 percent of Austrians and 33 percent of Swedes agree.

“Yet the opportunity is there, and more importantly: the need. As the German defense minister, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, put it: ‘it is in our own real interest that we should make faster and better progress in Europe’ to unify defense and foreign policy.”

A European army will come into existence, and Europe’s core nations will transfer their authority to a military leader of German or Austrian descent.

Germany’s “Catastrophic Awareness Day” a “Fiasco”

The Local wrote on September 10:

“Germany’s first nationwide ‘catastrophe awareness day’ was described as ‘a fiasco’… The Interior Ministry had to admit that the day… was ‘a failure’.

“At 11am alarms were supposed to go off across the country, while people should have been warned via warning apps. But it soon became apparent that many parts of the country no longer have sirens. A fire department spokesperson explained for Munich that there had been no sirens in the state capital for many years. They had been gradually dismantled after the end of the Cold War, he explained. In many parts of the country, the warnings passed completely unnoticed. Meanwhile, the message from the warning apps NINA and KATWARN arrived on smartphones after a half-hour delay. The Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK) in Bonn explained the breakdown was caused by agencies simultaneously triggering a large number of warning messages…

“The flop was met with mockery on social media. The association of deaf people jokingly tweeted: ‘Well, we didn’t hear anything.’… The so-called ‘warning day’, which in future is to take place every year on the second Thursday in September, is intended to prepare for dangerous situations such as floods, chemical accidents or even terrorist attacks. All existing warning devices such as warning apps, radio and television, digital billboards, sirens and loudspeaker vehicles were supposed to be integrated.”

 And still, in spite of Germany’s blatant incompetence… see the next article.

Germany Replaces France

Daily Sabah wrote on September 12:

“Macron… represented Washington’s hope in counterbalancing German economic and political might within the EU. Washington was unhappy about the hegemonic role that Berlin has been playing within the bloc over the last two decades. Washington instead tried to support Macron in offsetting the influence of Berlin, especially in the diplomatic and military spheres.

“Macron spun out his credibility as the promising leader who would replace German Chancellor Angela Merkel as the leader of Europe. Macron’s risky economic and strategic choices also generated skepticism among the other member states of the EU. France’s stagnant economy and exclusionary political system have failed to accommodate migrants and Muslims, and a lack of a geopolitical vision has reduced the status of France within the EU.

“France, once the equal partner of Germany in the EU project, has gradually lost its standing in the partnership. While Berlin managed to maintain financial and economic stability and integration in the aftermath of the Cold War, Paris failed to offer an encompassing geopolitical vision for Europe…

“Macron developed unique relations with Moscow and invited Russia into Libya… Macron’s erratic moves are not just a threat to Turkey’s national security but are undermining NATO and EU interests… The real beneficiary of Macron’s geopolitical mistakes is Moscow, Abu Dhabi and the Trump administration in the U.S., which is unhappy about Berlin’s supremacy in the EU…”

The antagonism between the USA and Germany will continue, and Germany’s leadership in Europe will become more and more manifest…

Germany’s Leadership in Europe

Bloomberg wrote on September 14:

“Germany has become far more explicit, and unapologetic about calling the shots in Europe… Leaders who grew up in the shadow of World War II were content to confine Germany’s place on the world stage to the economic sphere… Merkel is the first chancellor born after the war. Enough time has passed that German strength is no longer a frightening proposition. And partly it’s a recognition that Germany has no choice but to step up to the plate with Europe caught in the middle of a growing conflict between the world’s two superpowers.

“Under Donald Trump, the U.S. has become an unpredictable and even hostile ally, while Xi Jinping praises multilateralism as China becomes increasingly bold in its forays in international relations…

“Finance Minister Olaf Scholz acknowledged the current landscape means Germany has to take on ‘more responsibilities,’ which means maneuvering the Brussels machine… Merkel’s increasing willingness to cajole her EU partners into accepting a more muscular German industry marks a break with Berlin’s historic relationship with Europe.”

Germany and the USA … No Longer Allies

The Hill wrote on September 15:

“A practical ‘alliance’ between [the USA and Germany] no longer exists. Washington and Berlin disagree on far too much in policy terms for us to whistle past the graveyard any longer…

“Bonn was generally content to follow the American geopolitical lead. However, this was a very specific historical time, one that today’s leaders and analysts have lazily extrapolated into being how things will always work. 

“But this is not the world in which we now live. Germany is the most glaring case in point of when an ally is no longer an ally. Over vast patches of primary foreign policy terrain, Washington and Berlin simply do not agree… Germans do not like their long-term ‘ally’ very much…

“It is a logical truism that if two major powers fundamentally disagree about trade, defense spending, China, Russia, and even disapprove of one another, these disagreements between ‘allies’ means that they are no longer really allies at all.”

This “alliance” has been shaky for a long time.

US Hits Historic Lows of Approval from Its Closest Allies

Business Insider wrote on September 15:

“A handful of [countries], including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, Canada and Australia, gave their lowest favorable views of the US on record since Pew started polling nearly two decades ago…

“Germans gave the US some of ‘its worst ratings,’ the authors note, with only 10% who said they have confidence in Trump…

“Most people across the 13 countries surveyed said they have less trust in Trump to ‘do the right thing’ than they do in Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Only an average of 16% said they have confidence in Trump as a leader, versus 19% who said the same for Xi and 23% for Putin…

“… the study… depicts a deepening downward trend of the US’ international reputation…”

Shocking Ignorance

The Guardian wrote on September 15:

“Almost two-thirds of young American adults do not know that 6 million Jews were killed during the Holocaust, and more than one in 10 believe Jews caused the Holocaust, a new survey has found, revealing shocking levels of ignorance about the greatest crime of the 20th century.”

Iran Threatens Bahrain

The Times of Israel wrote on September 12:

“Iran said Saturday that Bahrain is now a partner to the ‘crimes’ of Israel, after the announcement of a deal to normalize relations between Jerusalem and Manama… Iran accused its arch foe Israel of ‘decades of violence, slaughter, war, terror and bloodshed in oppressed Palestine and the region.’… Iran said that through this ‘shameful’ deal, Bahrain has ‘sacrificed the Palestinian cause at the altar of American elections.’ Its ‘result will undoubtedly be growing anger and the lasting hatred of the oppressed people of Palestine, Muslims and the free nations of the world,’ the Iranian Foreign Ministry said.

“The Friday announcement by US President Donald Trump made Bahrain the second Arab country in a month, after the United Arab Emirates, to normalize ties with Israel under US sponsorship… Bahrain is acutely aware of threats posed by Iran — the Kingdom has a majority Shiite population, despite being ruled since 1783 by the Sunni Al Khalifa family. The ruling elites are firmly allied with Saudi Arabia in its rivalry with Shiite Iran, even as the Bahrain’s Shiites have familial, linguistic and political ties with Tehran going back decades. Iran under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi had pushed to take over Bahrain after British protection ended, though Bahrainis in 1970 overwhelmingly supported becoming an independent nation and the UN Security Council unanimously backed that.

“Since Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, Bahrain’s rulers have blamed Iran for arming militants on the island and stirring unrest. Iran denies the accusations. Bahrain’s Shiite majority has accused the government of treating them like second-class citizens. The Shiites joined pro-democracy activists in demanding more political freedoms in 2011, as Arab Spring protests swept across the wider Middle East. Saudi and Emirati troops ultimately helped violently put down the demonstrations… Tehran-Riyadh relations deteriorated further last year following a series of attacks on tankers in the Gulf, which Washington blamed on Tehran despite Iranian denials….”

With these antagonistic attitudes even amongst the Arabs, there will never be peace in the Middle East in this day and age.

The New “Peace” Deal

 BBC News wrote on September 15:

“The deal [to normalize relationships with Israel, which was signed on September 15 by Israel, the UAE and Bahrain at the White House] helps the ambitious Emiratis, who have built themselves into a military power… It looks as if the Americans helped seal the deal with the promise of advanced weapons that in the past the UAE has barely been able to window-shop. They include the F-35 stealth fighter and the EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft. The UAE has used its already well-equipped armed forces in Libya and Yemen… Netanyahu… has muted his original complaints about the UAE’s possible arms deal.

“Mr Netanyahu is also beleaguered, facing a trial for corruption that might land him in jail. His handling of the coronavirus pandemic started well and has gone badly wrong. Opponents stage weekly rallies outside his residence in Jerusalem…

“The deal works on a number of levels for the US president. It is a big boost for his strategy of ‘maximum pressure’ on Iran. It is also useful ammunition, especially in an election year, to back his boast that he is the world’s best dealmaker. Anything he does that benefits Israel, or more specifically the government of Benjamin Netanyahu, goes down well with American Christian Evangelical voters, an important part of his electoral base… President Trump’s so-called ‘Deal of the Century’ to make peace between Israel and the Palestinians is a non-starter. But the ‘Abraham Accords’, as the Israel-UAE agreement is known, is… being presented by the Trump White House as a major foreign policy coup.

“[The Palestinians] have condemned the Abraham Accords as a betrayal. The new agreement breaks a long-standing Arab consensus that the price of normal relations with Israel was independence for the Palestinians. But now Israel is cementing new public relationships with Arab states while the Palestinians still languish under occupation in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, and in what amounts to an open prison in Gaza…

 “The Saudis were the authors of the Arab peace plan that demanded Palestinian independence. King Salman’s status as custodian of Islam’s two holiest shrines gives him enormous authority. It is unlikely that he will suddenly recognise Israel…

“The deal has been roundly condemned by the Iranian leadership. It is more than rhetoric. The Abraham Accords put them under extra strain… Israel’s home airbases are a long flight from Iran. The UAE’s are just across the waters of the Gulf. That would be highly significant if there was a return to talk of air strikes against Iran’s nuclear sites…”

The Week added on September 15:

“Many experts doubt there will be any tangible move toward peace in the region, though the deals are considered historic and symbolically noteworthy.”

Are the USA and Israel creating a Frankenstein monster?

Turkey’s Dangerous Ambitions

The Algemeiner wrote on September 14:

“Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan… wants to take his country back to what he perceives as the glory days of the Ottoman Empire, but the leader… appears to be leading the country down the wrong path as he quashes secularism, supports radical Islamism, suppresses democratic reforms and adopts a forceful foreign-policy approach that aims to assert Turkish hegemony in the region…

“The perception that the United States is planning to significantly reduce its military presence in the Middle East—announced by US President Donald Trump this week—and the power vacuums that have emerged as one of the consequences of the Arab upheavals… are causing several actors, including Turkey, to act in a more assertive manner…

“With Erdoğan’s Islamist identity and close ties with Muslim Brotherhood, Qatar and Hamas, this triangle seems dangerous for Israel… one of the reasons Israel and the United Arab Emirates have worked out a normalization agreement between them is related to… the growing concerns from Turkey’s greater role in the region…

“Efraim Inbar, president of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, told JNS that as an Islamist, Erdoğan ‘has no great love for Jews and for Israel.’ According to Inbar, ‘Erdoğan believes that Turkey has a great destiny and should be a world power. The fact that the US is slowly reducing its footprint in the Middle East adds to even greater freedom of action for Turkey in regional affairs.’…

“Turkey is in Iraq and Syria, and has a military base in Qatar and in Somalia. Erdoğan tried to build a base in Sudan, and now he is busy in Libya. As part of this new Turkish nationalism, he is challenging the border with Greece, essentially seeking to reverse the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne, which officially ended the Ottoman Empire. ‘There is a fusion here of nationalism and Islamism between Turkish nationalism with its roots in Islam, the Caliphate and the Ottoman Empire,’ said Inbar. ‘There is a clear alliance between Turkey and Qatar, which both support the Muslim Brotherhood… Going after Israel gets him votes and makes him popular in the Muslim world, which he wants to lead, so Israel is a good target for him.’”

Watch Turkey!

A Divided USA

New Europe wrote on September 8:

“For the first time since the country’s civil war in the mid-19th-century… Americans remained divided after the election of Donald Trump as president in 2016. Since then, that division has accelerated at a dangerously rapid pace.

“The division was triggered by the deeply entrenched American financial establishment, which cannot understand that the time has irrevocably come to enter into a new civilization, but it thinks that by voting Trump out, the establishment will exorcise the evil. The oxymoron is that the Democratic Party in this election is struggling. It is using all of the means available to it to support the interests of Wall Street while [Trump] is fighting for Main Street, which goes against the interests of the traditional establishment Republicans.

“Historically, the foundations of the decay in the US were placed by former President Bill Clinton who, in the 1990s, ended his political career… Clinton, under the dilemma of being impeached or not, opted to remain president and repealed the Banking Act of 1933. That act, known also the Glass-Steagall Act, was designed to address the 1929 Wall Street crash that resulted in the Great Depression…

“The worst-case scenario will be when the president-elect will not to be able to control the transition and have the people – through social disobedience, riots and bloodshed – impose the new normal from the bottom-up and therefore turning a smooth evolution into a revolution…. In any case, no matter who will be the winner, he will neither have the possibility to change the course of history nor the ability to unite the American people again…”

And this means, another American civil war is a distinct possibility.

American Democracy Gets Bad Marks

Study Finds on September 12:

“As millions struggle to make ends meet during the coronavirus pandemic, a new survey claims American democracy isn’t faring much better. According to the political watchdog group Bright Line Watch, the ‘health’ of several democratic principles are at their lowest levels in three years…

“The August 2020 poll, featuring 776 political science experts, finds large declines among several principals including protections of free speech, toleration of peaceful protests and protection from political violence…

“The watchdog’s 11th democracy poll looks at the country’s stability since March, when COVID-19 put much of the U.S. into lockdown. The political experts contend that democratic principles regarding limits on government power and accountability are continuing to fall… the country has poor grades for civility and behavior… Those issues include having patriotism questioned, seeking compromise, and electoral dysfunction…”

It was not COVID-19 which put much of the U.S. into lockdown, but irresponsible restrictions by ignorant governmental officials. And the same ignorance continues to prevail, as following articles will discuss.

Senseless Sheriff-Shooting

Daily Mail published the following article by Piers Morgan on September 14:

“I didn’t think I would see anything as sickening this year as the appalling killing of [black] George Floyd at the kneed of a callous [white] police officer. But I was wrong. The grainy video of a disgusting [black] coward sneaking up to shoot two [white] deputy sheriffs in Compton, Los Angeles as they sat in their patrol car was just as repulsive and disturbing. There was no warning, and no provocation. This was just a deliberate, pre-meditated attempt at a cold-blooded execution.

“The shooter clearly intended to kill his targets as he fired a number of rounds from his pistol at point blank range into their car before running off. Fortunately, as I write this column, he appears to have failed in his mission as both deputies are reported to have miraculously survived the ambush, although they were seriously injured… One is a 31-year-old woman, and mother of a young son. The other is a 24-year-old man. To compound the senseless barbarity of the shooting, ‘protesters’ yesterday blocked the entrance and exit to the hospital emergency room where the two deputies were taken, chanting vile abuse…

“President Trump blasted the attack, raging about the shooter, ‘Animals that must be hit hard!’ and adding later: ‘If they die, fast trial death penalty for the killer. Only way to stop this!’… Of course, the same President Trump has been far less vocal about what should happen to the police officers who killed George Floyd…

“Only if we all come together and agree that unjustified violence of any kind is wrong, whoever is the victim, and whatever the color of their skin or uniform, can any real progress be made in the battle for racial equality and justice.

“The tragedy of this latest incident is that it makes no sense. Just as the killing of George Floyd defied all logic given his alleged crime was trying to buy cigarettes with counterfeit money, so the purpose of this attack is impossible to understand…

“America has been a racially charged tinderbox since George Floyd’s death, with emotions exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. At a moment like this, the country needs unifying leadership from its political leaders but also from its most inspirational high-profile stars. Instead, it is getting nothing but flame-fanning rhetoric and complicit silence from those who know what’s the right thing to say – but choose not to say it.”

America’s perceived or real racial divide is unbridgeable.

Trump Is the Dynamite

CBS News reported on September 13:

“Washington Post’s Bob [Woodward’s] new book, ‘Rage,’ is his latest work in a 50-year career investigating American presidents. His first investigation, reported with Carl Bernstein, led to the resignation of Richard Nixon. For ‘Rage,’ Mr. Trump agreed to 18 recorded interviews…

“Bob Woodward [said:]: ‘… one of the things that President Trump told me, “In the presidency, there’s always dynamite behind the door.” The real dynamite is President Trump. He is the dynamite.’”

In other words, one never knows what he will do next. This assessment is shared by Trump’s former Security Adviser, John Bolton.

Newsom’s Hidden Support of LGBTQ People

Breitbart wrote on September 13:

“Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) signed a controversial bill into law Friday that will give judges greater discretion to decide whether adults who commit sodomy with minors should be placed on California’s sex offender registry. The bill, which passed the Democrat-led legislature last week, created a firestorm as proponents said its main purpose was to end discrimination against LGBT adults who have oral and anal sex with minors who claim to be consenting to the sexual activity.

“State Sen. Scott Wiener (D), who introduced the legislation, said in a statement on social media the new law would put an end to ‘blatant discrimination against young LGBT people engaged in consensual activity.’… Proving again he‘s a true champion for the LGBTQ community… Gov Newsom signed [the bill], ending discrimination against LGBTQ young people on CA’s sex offender registry…

“‘Well what a shock. Newsom signed SB145, the bill that allows a 24 year old to have sex with a 14 year old and escape a felony conviction and requirement to be a registered sex offender. Absolutely disgusting,’ (Senator Melissa Melendez wrote on September 12, 2020)…

“San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer (R) also tweeted after Newsom signed the bill into law, ‘As a parent I’m appalled that last night our governor signed a law maintaining a 24-year-old can have sex with a 14-year-old and it not be considered predatory.’…

“The legislation also assumes teens as young as 14 are capable of fully consenting to sex of any variety with any adult, regardless of sexual orientation. Attorney and researcher Jane Robbins said in a statement to Breitbart News, ‘… If Mr. Wiener were concerned about children, he would push to restore penalties on straight adult predators who prey on minors…  Instead, he extended the leniency to gay adult predators.’”

Sick!

Newsom: California Wildfires because of Man-made Climate Change

Reuters reported on September 11:

“California Governor Gavin Newsom on Friday toured communities devastated by the state’s raging wildfires and said the deadly, record-shattering fire season across the U.S. West should end all debate over climate change. Newsom, a Democrat, appeared to direct at least some of his remarks at suggestions by U.S. President Donald Trump that poor forest management, and not warming temperatures, were to blame for the raging conflagrations.

“‘I’m a little bit exhausted that we have to continue to debate this issue. This is a climate… emergency. This is real and it’s happening. This is the perfect storm,’ Newsom, 52, said…

“All told some 100 wildfires across the U.S. West have burned an area nearly as large as the state of New Jersey, putting half a million people under evacuation alert in Oregon and pouring out thick smoke across three states.

“‘The debate is over around climate change. Just come to the state of California. Observe it with your own eyes,’ Newsom said. ‘California, folks, is America fast forward. What we’re experiencing right here is coming to communities all across the United States of America unless we get our act together on climate change, unless we disabuse ourselves of all the… that’s being spewed by a very small group of people that have an ideological reason to advance the cause of a 19th century framework and solution,’ he said…

“The governor demurred when asked by reporters to respond directly to suggestions by Trump, a Republican, that seasonal wildfires could be mitigated if state and local officials had worked harder to clear dense, dry underbrush.”

Whatever the cause for this disaster, blaming something or someone for it instead of taking personal responsibility for mistakes and incompetent actions is far too common and also very obvious in the case at hand.

So Predictable… Left-Liberal Court Rules against Church

The Federalist wrote on September 11:

“Judge Mitchell L. Beckloff of the Los Angeles Superior Court issued a preliminary injunction Thursday that prohibits Pastor John MacArthur and Grace Community Church from ‘conducting, participating in, or attending any indoor worship services.’ The ban also extends to services held outside ‘unless onerous restrictions are followed.’

“Since the church first began meeting in-person and defying local lockdown orders in July, Los Angeles County officials have threatened fines, arrest, and even terminated the lease held between the church and the county for parking lot space claiming health and safety concerns.

“A $1,000 fine issued by Los Angeles County was also imposed on the church this week for signs asking congregants to refrain from entering if they were experiencing ‘an elevated temperature, a cough, or any flu-like symptoms.’ According to the county, the signs were not placed at the proper entrances and exits and did not contain instructions asking people to ‘wash hands or use sanitizer, to wear face coverings and to maintain social distancing.’

“Special counsel Jenna Ellis and Charles LiMandri expressed their disappointment in Thursday’s ruling, claiming that the court ‘ducked the issue’ and failed ‘to apply the appropriate constitutional standard of review.’ They also explained their belief that the church was held to a different standard than other activities during COVID-19 lockdowns. ‘The court also did not properly consider the medical and scientific evidence that the current number of people with serious COVID-19 symptoms no longer justifies a shuttering of the churches. Nor do we believe that the court gave adequate consideration to the fact that churches have been treated as second-class citizens compared to the tens of thousands of protestors,’ LiMandri said.

“This opinion by the court, according to Ellis and LiMandri, shows that the church was unfairly targeted. ‘Church is essential, and no government agent has the runaway, unlimited power to force churches to close indefinitely. The County’s argument was basically “because we can,” which is the very definition of tyranny,’ Ellis said. ‘Without limiting government’s power in favor of freedom and protected rights, we have no liberty. We will fight for religious freedom, as our founders did when they wrote the First Amendment.’

‘‘More than ever, California’s churches are essential,’ LiMandri agreed. Despite the court’s ruling, Pastor John MacArthur told Fox News’s Shannon Bream on Thursday night that the church would still be meeting. ‘1/100th of 1 percent of Californians with a virus apparently wins over the U.S. Constitution and religious freedom for all? That is not what our founders said,’ said MacArthur. ‘Nor is that what God says, who gave us our rights that our government—including the judicial branch—is supposed to protect. The scale should always tip in favor of liberty, especially for churches.’

“The Thomas More Society also said that they will appeal it to ‘ultimately vindicate our clients’ constitutionally protected right to free exercise of religion.’ ‘Although this is a temporary setback, we will continue to fight for Pastor MacArthur and Grace Community Church’s constitutionally protected right to hold church,’ Ellis promised.”

Attorney Ellis also posted the following: “Apparently signs asking people not to enter if they have an elevated temperature or symptoms of Covid (located at every entrance & exit) aren’t good enough for LA County. The bullying and harassment continues. This is NOT about health. LA County just wants to shut down church.”

In left-wing California, this POLITICAL decision was so predictable… and it is so shameful and so ungodly.

Todd Starnes wrote on September 8:

“Los Angeles County is trying every angle to harass and bully Pastor John MacArthur and the congregation of Grace Community Church… Make no mistake. This is an abusive, overt attempt to shut down the church. But Pastor MacArthur is a man who humbly stands on the Word of God. He will not be bullied. He will not be intimidated – no matter what the godless government in Los Angeles ultimately decides to do.

“Christians around the nation should lift this church up in prayer. And Christians in California should make a very public statement and demonstration that religious intolerance will not be tolerated in the Golden State.”

The ungodly attack on Christianity in California [and elsewhere] continues. At the same time, the LGBTQ movement is heavily supported (compare the article above).

Some Judges Still Have Common Sense

Fox News wrote on September 14:

 “A federal judge on Monday ruled that some of Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf’s restrictions implemented amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic were unconstitutional — marking a win for businesses struggling to stay afloat amid the forced shutdown.

“U.S. District Judge William Stickman IV, who was appointed by President Trump, sided with plaintiffs that included hair salons, drive-in movie theaters, a farmer’s market vendor, a horse trainer and several Republican officeholders in their lawsuit against Wolf, a Democrat, and his health secretary. The ruling found that Wolf’s restrictions that required people to stay at home, placed size limits on gatherings and ordered ‘non-life-sustaining’ businesses to shut down were unconstitutional.

“The Wolf administration’s pandemic policies have been overreaching, arbitrary and violated citizens’ constitutional rights, Stickman wrote in his ruling… Courts had consistently rejected challenges to Wolf’s power to order businesses to close during the pandemic, and many other governors, Republican and Democrat, undertook similar measures as the virus spread across the country….”

Shame on those Republican and Democrat governors and timid judges who have been destroying thousands, if not millions of people’s lives through their unconstitutional and ridiculous measures and judgments, all the while claiming that they acted for the welfare and protection of the people.  

China Injects Hundreds of Thousands with Experimental Vaccine

The Wall Street Journal wrote on September 12:

“A Chinese pharmaceutical company has injected hundreds of thousands of people with experimental Covid-19 vaccines, as its Western counterparts warn against administering mass vaccinations before rigorous scientific studies are complete.

“China National Biotec Group Co., a subsidiary of state-owned Sinopharm, has given two experimental vaccine candidates to hundreds of thousands of people under an emergency-use condition approved by Beijing in July, the company said this week. Separately, Chinese drugmaker Sinovac Biotech Ltd. said it has inoculated around 3,000 of its employees and their family members, including the firm’s chief executive, with its experimental coronavirus vaccine…

“CNBG said it has received orders for 500 million doses from overseas, the most among Chinese drugmakers, though it didn’t specify which countries put in orders. The company is conducting Phase 3 clinical trials in the United Arab Emirates and Argentina.

“The company’s vaccine regimen may require people to get injected with two or three doses. CNBG said it would be able to produce around 100 million doses of its Covid-19 vaccines by the end of the year and then up to one billion doses annually.”

One would have to be crazy to agree to such experimental drug testing.

Finally, but Very Late: Vatican Urges Public Masses

Breitbart wrote on September 13:

“The Vatican has issued a letter to the world’s bishops urging the resumption of public Sunday Masses, stressing that ‘it is necessary and urgent to return to the normality of Christian life’… ‘The Christian community has never pursued isolation and has never made the church a city with closed doors,’ writes Vatican Cardinal Robert Sarah in the letter, which bears the explicit approval of Pope Francis. The ‘community dimension’ of Christian worship is essential, the cardinal writes, and constitutes ‘a fundamental trait of Christian life,’ according to Jesus’s teaching that ‘Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.’

“During coronavirus lockdowns, many countries made a distinction between ‘essential’ and ‘non-essential’ activities, often judging public worship as belonging to the latter category, something the cardinal suggests was a mistake. The Bishops should act firmly to ensure ‘that the participation of the faithful in the celebration of the Eucharist is not downgraded by the public authorities to a “gathering,” and is not considered as comparable or even subordinate to forms of recreational assemblies,’ he writes…

“In his recent letter, Cardinal Sarah also stresses that online streaming is no substitute for public worship as a community since ‘no transmission is equivalent to personal participation or can replace it.’… The cardinal also notes that ‘proper attention to hygiene and safety rules must not lead to the sterilization of gestures and rites, or to spreading, even unconsciously, fear and insecurity in the faithful.’ In this regard, ‘liturgical norms are not matters on which civil authorities can legislate, but only the competent ecclesiastical authorities,’ he insists.”

It is sad that the Catholic Church, including the pope himself, for a long time, prostrated themselves in submission to the power of secular governments, even supporting their restrictions. Their stance now for public worship services sounds hollow and hypocritical. It is also sad that some Sabbath-keeping Church of God groups have become equally guilty of such unbiblical behavior. This does not only apply to wrong decisions of ministers in charge, but also to members who are following blindly, like dumb sheep, and adopt such bad and ungodly injunctions. This is even more troublesome and ungodly when those churches or their ministers demand restrictions from their members, pertaining to worship services, which go BEYOND those of the governments. It has been established that governmental lockdown decisions were wrong and have cost many lives, while destroying the livelihood of millions of people.

Note the following articles as well.

Crazy—Israel Considers total Lockdown during the annual Fall Holy Day Season

Israel 365 News (formerly Breaking Israel News) wrote on or about September 11:

“On Thursday, Health Minister Yuli Edelstein called for a full lockdown for all of Israel beginning on September [18], [just before the start of] Rosh Hashannah [and to close schools by Wednesday, September 16]… The proposed lockdown may last until the end of the holidays which will be when Simchat Torah (the last day of Sukkoth) ends on Sunday, Oct. 11.  All academic institutions and workplaces will be closed.  A ban will be in place on public and private gatherings. The holidays are normally a time for extended families to gather so the lockdown will prevent this. It also calls for the entire public sector to be placed in a ‘state of emergency.’…

“According to the Finance Ministry, a general closure over a ‘holiday week’ would cost the country NIS 4 billion, and closure on a full week NIS 5 billion to NIS 6 billion…”

Times of Israel wrote on September 12:

“The Health Ministry’s plan for a full national lockdown faced intense pushback shortly after more of its details were unveiled Saturday, with one unnamed minister telling Israeli television the plan was ‘insane,’ and others vowing to oppose it. Ministers… said they would not agree to approve the proposal in its current form, decrying the damage a closure would do to the Israeli economy even as a public outcry by business owners grew, amid threats of mass rebellion against the new restrictions.

“Meanwhile, Health Minister Yuli Edelstein told Channel 12 that ‘there will be no negotiation’ on the plan, saying there was currently no better alternative… The proposal is highly controversial with the public, with many business leaders threatening to defy it. Hotels are furious that they will be required to cancel reservations for the High Holidays just days in advance, having geared up staff and purchased immense quantities of supplies and food.

“There are also complaints that the lockdown unjustifiably closes down the entire country rather than focusing on COVID-19 red zones, and allegations that it is politically impacted, with the government reluctant to be seen singling out ultra-Orthodox areas, which along with Arab areas, have some of Israel’s highest contagion rates…

“With the country facing its second national lockdown and the government’s pandemic policies being widely perceived as disorderly and at times random, many businesses have vowed in recent days to defy closure orders, saying they will not survive a new shutdown. Meanwhile, top business leaders warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday that a new lockdown would be disastrous to the local economy.

“Reports have indicated hundreds — and perhaps thousands — of business owners could refuse to shut down if closure orders come, being unable to withstand the financial burden of a further lockdown. Business owners have said promises of compensation down the road are irrelevant, and that they will refuse to shut their doors unless they receive government aid in advance.

“Channel 13 reported that the Manufacturers Association of Israel, the Chamber of Commerce and other business bodies wrote in a letter to the premier that a new lockdown would cause a further wave of unemployment and bring about ‘an “economic coronavirus” whose effect will be far more destructive than the medical coronavirus,’ and warned that the effects of the harm to the economy could be felt for a decade.”

Subsequently, Times of Israel reported on September 13:

“The cabinet has given its approval to a three-week full nationwide closure, beginning Friday at 2 p.m… The final details… are reported to include a ban on venturing more than 500 meters from home, except for essential errands. Schools, malls, hotels and leisure activities will be shuttered, while supermarkets and pharmacies will remain open.”

Man’s attempts to deal with the panic of the coronavirus are truly insane. In the process, God’s commands of assembling in person on His Holy Days are being blatantly violated. This makes God VERY angry!  Note especially the articles above and below on the failed attempts to deal with the crisis and the hypocritical conduct of the Catholic Church and the ungodly decision of a left-liberal court in California.

Resignation in Protest

JTA wrote on September 13:

“Israel’s housing minister has resigned from the government to protest a nationwide lockdown… Yaakov Litzman, a top haredi Orthodox lawmaker, stepped down to oppose the closures of synagogues over Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, saying that even a policy allowing small-scale prayer services would still impede Israelis’ right to come together during the High Holidays.”

The Times of Israel wrote on September 13:

“Litzman… also said his United Torah Judaism party could bolt the coalition. Litzman accused coronavirus czar Ronni Gamzu of planning for months to impose a lockdown on Rosh Hashanah — which begins this week — and Yom Kippur while avoiding the move during the summer season. In a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Litzman decried the fact that the lockdown would prevent worshipers, including tens of thousands of Jews who don’t go to a synagogue during most of the year, from attending the most important and well-attended Jewish services of the year…’

It is in fact a horrendously stupid decision by Israel’s government… and it is deeply ungodly.

Dangerous Lockdowns—Carefully Planned for a long Time…  

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on September 11:

“The toll lockdowns have taken on human life and human rights has been incalculable. Increases in child abuse, suicide and even heart attacks, all appear to be a feature of mandatory stay-at-home orders issued by politicians who now rule by decree without any legislative or democratic due process. And then, of course, there is the economic toll on employment…

“These measures also have made a mockery of basic human rights while essentially expropriating private property. Mom-and-pop business owners were told to shut their doors indefinitely or face arrest. The unemployed were told it was now illegal to work for a living if their careers were deemed ‘nonessential.’ Police officers have beaten citizens for not ‘social distancing’ while mothers have been manhandled by cops for attempting to use playground equipment.

“This was all done because some politicians and bureaucrats—who were in no danger of losing their large paychecks—decided it was a great idea to carry out a bizarre and risky experiment: forcing large swaths of the population to stay at home in the name of preventing the spread of disease.

“Indeed, politicians have long dreamed of forcing people into isolation en masse. But this was most recently revived during the George W. Bush administration. As the New York Times reported in April: ‘Fourteen years ago, two federal government doctors, Richard Hatchett and Carter Mecher, met with a colleague at a burger joint in suburban Washington for a final review of a proposal they knew would be treated like a piñata: telling Americans to stay home from work and school the next time the country was hit by a deadly pandemic. Drs. Hatchett and Mecher were proposing… that Americans in some places might have to turn back to an approach, self-isolation, first widely employed in the Middle Ages. How that idea — born out of a request by President George W. Bush to ensure the nation was better prepared for the next contagious disease outbreak — became the heart of the national playbook for responding to a pandemic is one of the untold stories of the coronavirus crisis. The concept of social distancing is now intimately familiar to almost everyone. But as it first made its way through the federal bureaucracy in 2006 and 2007, it was viewed as impractical, unnecessary and politically infeasible….’

“And why was it considered impractical and unnecessary? There is more than one reason, but one major reason is that lockdowns have never been shown to be particularly effective… it’s now becoming apparent that lockdowns don’t work when actually tried. Earlier this month, for example, Donald Luskin noted in the Wall Street Journal: ‘Measuring from the start of the year to each state’s point of maximum lockdown—which range from April 5 to April 18—it turns out that lockdowns correlated with a greater spread of the virus. States with longer, stricter lockdowns also had larger Covid outbreaks. The five places with the harshest lockdowns—the District of Columbia, New York, Michigan, New Jersey and Massachusetts—had the heaviest caseloads.’

“Basically, Luskin searched for a clear correlation between lockdowns and better health outcomes in relation to covid-19. He found none. He continues: ‘[T]here’s no escaping the evidence that, at minimum, heavy lockdowns were no more effective than light ones, and that opening up a lot was no more harmful than opening up a little. So where’s the science that would justify the heavy lockdowns many public-health officials are still demanding?’…

“… A June study published by Advance by Stefan Homburg and Christof Kuhbandner found that the data ‘strongly suggests’ that ‘the UK lockdown was both superfluous… and ineffective…’

“Along these lines, Simon Wood, examined the progression of the disease in the United Kingdom and in Sweden and found that the data ‘strongly suggest that the decline in infections in England and Wales began before full lockdown, and that community infections, unlike deaths, were probably at a low level well before lockdown was eased. Furthermore, such a scenario would be consistent with the infection profile in Sweden, which began its decline in fatal infections shortly after the UK, but did so on the basis of measures well short of full lockdown.’…

“Extraordinary measures require extraordinary evidence. And the burden of proof is on those who seek to use the coercive power of the state to force people into their homes, cripple the economy, and abolish countless basic freedoms for the duration. Have the advocates for lockdowns made their case? It’s hard to see how they have. For one, advocates for lockdowns need to present obvious and overwhelming evidence that lockdowns bring big benefits far in excess of the no-lockdown approach. They have not done so. Moreover, they have not shown that a lack of lockdowns is anywhere near as dangerous as they have claimed in the name of pushing lockdowns to begin with. We can already see what the no-lockdown scenario looks like. It looks like Sweden, and that’s a better outcome than many prolockdown regimes can claim. Governments are nonetheless likely to continue claiming their lockdowns worked. In ancient days, a witch doctor might perform a rain dance on Tuesday and claim credit when it rained on Wednesday. Lockdowns are increasingly looking like the modern equivalent of a rain dance.”

The comparison of lockdowns with witch doctors is not that far-fetched. Ignorant but power-hungry governmental officials, under the rule of Satan, and following ignorant but self-righteous medical “experts,” have been contributing to the destruction of their countries and citizens, and all those who have been supporting these measures, by action or word, also have a heavy burden of responsibility on their shoulders as well. May God forgive them upon true repentance! The above-cited article quoted and linked to many more surveys concluding that lockdowns were useless and devastatingly destructive.  

The Despicable Mass Media Propaganda

The American Institute for Economic Research wrote on September 14:

“Just when the fear starts to subside, and growing public skepticism seems to push governors into opening, something predictable happens. The entire apparatus of mass media hops on some new, super-scary headline designed to instill more Coronaphobia and extend the lockdowns yet again. It’s a cycle that never stops. It comes back again and again.

“A great example occurred this weekend. A poll appeared on Friday from the Kaiser Family Foundation. It showed that confidence in Anthony Fauci is evaporating along with support for lockdowns and mandatory Covid vaccines. The news barely made the headlines, and very quickly this was overshadowed by a scary new claim: restaurants will give you Covid!

“It’s tailor-made for the mainstream press. The study is from the CDC… And the thesis is easily digestible: those who test positive for Covid are twice as likely as those who tested negative to have eaten at a restaurant. ‘Eating and drinking on-site at locations that offer such options might be important risk factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection,’ the study says.

“Very scary! Thus the implied conclusion: don’t allow indoor dining! Otherwise Covid will spread like wildfire!

“After six months of this Corona Kabuki dance, driven by alarmist media and imposed by wacko, power-abusing governors and mayors, I’ve become rather cynical about the whole enterprise, so I mostly ignore the latest nonsense. In this case, however, I decided to take a closer look simply because so many millions of owners, workers, and customers have been treated so brutally in the ‘War on Restaurants.’

“It turns out, of course, that this is not what the study said…

“Lockdowns have become a conclusion in a desperate search for evidence… This is precisely where we’ve been for six solid months now. The media has become the handmaiden of lockdown tyranny, blasting out simplistic versions of sketchy studies to keep the panic going as long as possible. And the public… eats it up.”

We wonder who those gullible people are who are falling for this mass media propaganda

Absolutely Braindead Decision of Southwest Airlines

USA Today wrote on September 14:

“A woman traveling from Fort Myers, Florida, to Chicago said she was escorted off her Southwest Airline flight on Saturday because her 2-year-old son was snacking prior to takeoff and wasn’t wearing his mask… Degyansky said she boarded the flight with her son… and he took off his mask to eat some of the snacks that were served. On multiple occasions, a flight attendant told her that he needed to be masked, but he was eating, she said. The plane had already left the gate, but returned for staff to escort them off the flight. For about 15 minutes, Degyansky argued with airline personnel because her son had his mask back on, but they did not listen to her, she said.

“According to CDC guidelines, children 2 years and older should wear a mask over their nose and mouth if it’s difficult to social distance. ‘My toddler who literally turned 2 two weeks ago. … I know you have to draw the line but let’s be a little compassionate with everyone’s individual circumstances,’ she said… ‘If a Customer is unable to wear a face covering for any reason, Southwest regrets that we are unable to transport the individual…’ said Ro Hawthorne, a spokesperson for the airline.”

How much more STUPID can this get?

AG Barr Condemned for Telling the Truth

The Associated Press wrote on September 17:

“Attorney General William Barr drew sharp condemnation Thursday for comparing lockdown orders during the coronavirus pandemic to slavery… Barr had called the lockdown orders the ‘greatest intrusion on civil liberties in American history’ since slavery. His comments… also criticized his own prosecutors for behaving as ‘headhunters’ in their pursuit of prominent targets and for using the weight of the criminal justice system to launch what he said were ‘ill-conceived’ political probes…

 “It’s not the first time Barr has condemned stay-at-home orders. He has previously said that some orders were ‘disturbingly close to house arrests’ and the Justice Department sent letters to several states warning that some of their virus-related restrictions might be unlawful. Prosecutors also filed statements of interest in several civil cases challenging some of the restrictions.”

We would even go a step further and state that the lockdown did not only come close to house arrest, but that it constituted house arrest, and that those locked in were indeed victims of autocratically enforced governmental slavery.

Sweden Reports Fewest Coronavirus Cases

The Guardian wrote on September 15:

“While many European countries are seeing their infection rates surge to levels not seen since the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, Sweden – whose light-touch approach has made it an international outlier – has recorded the fewest daily cases since the virus emerged. The Scandinavian country’s rolling seven-day average of new cases stood at 108 on Tuesday, its lowest level since 13 March. Data from the Swedish national health agency showed only 1.2% of its 120,000 tests last week came back positive…

“Sweden also has fewer new daily infections than Norway and Denmark, its Nordic neighbours… Anders Tegnell, the country’s chief epidemiologist and architect of its no-lockdown strategy, told broadcaster France-24 in an interview: …’In the end, we will see how much difference it will make to have a strategy that’s more sustainable, that you can keep in place for a long time, instead of the strategy that means that you lock down, open up and lock down over and over again.’… Shops, bars, restaurants and gyms stayed open and the wearing of masks has not so far been recommended.”

Sweden is one example. South Dakota is another one. 

South Dakota Stands Out

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on September 13:

“Many state fairs across America were canceled this year. The reason offered: coronavirus. It should be no surprise that among the states where an annual state fair did occur this year is South Dakota. South Dakota is the state whose governor — Kristi Noem — has resisted, more than has any other governor across America, the temptation to use coronavirus as an excuse to exercise dictatorial powers.

“Following last month’s annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally that brought hundreds of thousands of visitors to the state, South Dakota has continued to demonstrate with the state fair that ended on Monday that coronavirus is no excuse for canceling events that bring joy to life…

“Noem was among the many people who enjoyed the South Dakota State Fair free of mask and ‘social distancing’ mandates.”

 Don’t Ask Questions!

The American Institute for Economic Research wrote on September 15:

“If you are a good person, you will submit, for as long as it takes. Deviate from the rules, and you are a bad, selfish person, who does not care if others die.  We have been introduced to the corona gods and they are ferocious, and make many demands. They require children to forgo school, or to attend school by staring into a screen. That is, for those whose parents or school districts can afford the screens. They can play together only if masked, faceless and muffled, six feet apart. Their cognitive development is likely to be hampered by their inability to read facial expressions, perhaps for a lifetime, but that is an unavoidable price we must pay, or so we are told.

“The corona gods ask much, too, of young adults. Whether they were embarking on new careers or enrolled in institutions of higher learning, they must surrender their hopes and aspirations and separate from each other, however contrary it might be to their natures…

“The bereavement of business owners… is unavoidable collateral damage, the politicians say mournfully…

“We are not to ask certain questions, according to the politicians, the experts, our friends… Do not ask: are we ultimately causing more deaths, or ruining more lives, in the long term, than the coronavirus itself?… It’s over when we say it’s over, they say. We must keep each other safe. So cover your nose and mouth. Stand six feet apart. Stay home. Comply!”

We are witnessing the creation of a perfect dictatorship! Note the next article.

“Great” Britain… the Perfect Dictatorial Police State!

The Sun wrote on September 14:

“BRITS should snitch on their neighbours if they are breaking the new coronavirus rule of six, the policing minister has said. Kit Malthouse said this morning people who spy someone doing the wrong thing by having more than six people over should call the cops. He told BBC Radio 4: ‘What we’re hoping we’ll see for the rule of six is what we saw for the whole of lockdown which is extremely high compliance. ‘In the end we all have to recognise that we have an individual duty towards our collective health and we hope that view will prevail. There is the non-emergency number that people can ring and report issues if they wish to.’… Mr Malthouse said during lockdown there was a surge from people spying on their neighbours reporting them to the police for breaking restrictions….

“National Police Chiefs Council Chairman Martin Hewitt said… ‘Once these rules and regulations are enacted, they are the law. If people are deliberately breaking the law, we would expect members of the public to take responsibility to report that… And Home Secretary Priti Patel said troublemakers would be handed a criminal record if they ignore the fines… Home Office officials say those who refuse to accept £100 on-the-spot fines will be arrested and taken to court….”

First of all, as the evidence proves, lockdowns DON’T WORK. The new regulations in Britain are just plain crazy and stupid. Then, in reading this abominable development, we must say: Welcome, “Great” Britain, to the dictatorships of China, Russia, North Korea, Nazi Germany, and former East Germany. Here we have now the perfect storm of spying on others, dictatorial autocratic nonsensical damaging governmental measures and the establishment of a police state. Democracy… gone forever!

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.

“Stop the Nord Stream 2 Pipeline”… but Merkel Resists

Der Spiegel Online wrote on September 4:

“Leading politicians in Germany from all mainstream parties are demanding that construction on the natural gas pipeline Nord Stream 2 be suspended as a result of the poisoning of Alexei Navalny. But Merkel’s government is so far resisting such calls…

“Germany’s relationship with Russia will change significantly. The clear evidence that [an] internationally banned nerve agent was used makes it even more likely that the Kremlin [and Putin] was behind the poisoning… a debate has erupted over which sanctions the German government should now consider applying. The expulsion of Russian diplomats and sanctions against the individuals responsible for the annexation of Crimea did little to impress Moscow. Economic sanctions against certain industries or products could be effective, but they would likely hurt Germany as well, given that Moscow’s retaliations against such sanctions in the past have been just as severe.

“The only penalty that would primarily hurt Moscow would be a construction stop on the almost completed Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline.

“‘The German government’s starry-eyed indifference to President Putin’s brutality must finally come to an end,’ says Agnieszka Brugger, deputy group leader for the Green Party in parliament. ‘Putting an end to Nord Stream 2 would be the minimum.’ The business-friendly Free Democrats (FDP) tend to agree. The pipeline ‘must immediately be examined,’ says Bijan Dijr-Sarai, the foreign policy spokesman for the FDP in parliament. He is in favor of an immediate moratorium. ‘It was a mistake from the very beginning to ignore the political backdrop to Nord Stream 2. It is now coming back to bite the government,’ he says.

“But even members of political parties in Merkel’s governing coalition, which pairs her conservatives with the center-left Social Democrats (SPD), are increasingly demanding that the pipeline project be abandoned. One is Norbert Röttgen, a candidate to become chairman of Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) and the chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee in Germany’s federal parliament, the Bundestag. Another is Manfred Weber, head of the European People’s Party group in European Parliament, to which German conservatives belong…

“Within the government, however, that step remains off limits. Officially, at least… Daniel Caspary, head of German conservatives in the European Parliament, believes that the attack on Navalny is just more evidence that Putin doesn’t take EU foreign policy seriously… EU diplomats who have long been involved in Russia policy hold similar views…”

It will be interesting to see as to whether Germany will show some strength and go ahead with the cancellation of the pipeline project… perhaps in collaboration with other EU member states.  Trump’s refusal to acknowledge Russia’s role in the poisoning is even more amazing as Trump wants the pipeline project to be canceled as well.

US Sanctions ICC

Deutsche Welle wrote on September 4:

“Germany calls US sanctions against the International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda [which include freezing her US assets] ‘a serious mistake’ while France describes them as a ‘grave attack.’… Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief, said the US sanctions were ‘unacceptable’ and ‘unprecedented.’…

“The United States has never been a party to the ICC and in the past, Pompeo has referred to the tribunal as a ‘kangaroo court.’… Speaking on Wednesday, Pompeo said the US would not tolerate what he called the ICC’s ‘illegitimate attempts to subject Americans to its jurisdiction.’”

Germany and France vs. the USA… a usual pattern is emerging.

What’s Macron Up to?

Daily Sabah wrote on September 4:

“[Macron visited Lebanon] to have talks with Lebanese leaders to make sure that they were ready to implement reforms immediately required for the survival of the country, which was already facing an economic crisis. He said Lebanese leaders would be sanctioned if reforms are not implemented – as if Lebanon is still a French mandate… many started to ask what Macron is planning.

“On the other hand, while the tension between Turkey and Greece in the Eastern Mediterranean is growing, Macron is coming to the forefront with his remarks and decisions about it – though France does not have a coastline in the Eastern Mediterranean. Adding tension to the dispute in question, Paris sent warships and jets to support Athens and threaten Ankara recently. And last week, Macron said he set red lines with Turkey in the East Mediterranean…

“In June, the French president accused Turkey of playing ‘a dangerous game’ in Libya, although Paris has been sending clandestine military aid for several years to the war-torn country. The French president first made the ‘NATO’s becoming brain-dead’ remark last November after U.S. President Donald Trump decided to withdraw American troops from northern Syria…

“As British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is busy with the Brexit endgame problem, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has chosen to keep a low profile due to a paralyzed grand coalition in Germany and the U.S. has lost its authority over the West, it looks like President Macron has seen the vacuum in question as an opportunity. He now acts as if he is Europe’s foreign policy leader by default and thinks that he has to run the show because there is a diplomatic-relations gap in the Western world.

“… With his ‘brain-dead’ allegation, he is trying to show European leaders that Europe can no longer rely on America to defend NATO allies. He presses for a greater Europe in terms of defense; he calls for a European army. According to him, ‘a true European army’ will protect Europe from ‘China, Russia and even the U.S.’… the idea of creating a European army will make the EU stronger and less dependent on the U.S. But this will come at a price. Lessening dependency on Washington will enlarge the fissure between the EU and the U.S. and weaken the Western alliance in the global arena. Most importantly, a European army and NATO cannot coexist. If the European leaders are persuaded by the French president, they will probably bring an end to the transatlantic alliance.

“The irony is that the idea of a European army dates back to the years following World War II, and it might have come to fruition if then-French President Charles de Gaulle had not prevented it. He wanted a directorate of three – namely France, Britain and the U.S. – to dictate Western security. When the idea of a ‘European defense force’ was proposed, de Gaulle worried that a European army would threaten French sovereignty and integrity and could bring back a militarized Germany… de Gaulle rejected a European army idea in the post-war era because he was opposed to giving power to Germany and took France out of NATO since he disliked the U.S. penetration of Europe’s political arena. Macron claims that he is trying to unify Europe’s military power, but the question is: Is France ready for a rearmed Germany especially while Britain is leaving the EU?…

“Does Macron actually want to dominate Europe while he says that Europe has to be controlled by Europeans?”

Is Macron determined to become Europe’s leader… using the vacuum created by weak, tired, inconclusive and undecisive Angela Merkel? The Bible shows that a military leader of German or Austrian descent… not a Frenchman… will rise soon.

Germany’s Military Endeavors in the Indo-Pacific Region

Naval News wrote on September 4:

“The German Government recently formulated the interests, principles and central areas of German policy in the Indo-Pacific region. The new guidelines are also a contribution to a possible EU-European Union overall strategy for the region, the country’s Ministry of Defense stated on September 2… ‘With the rise of Asia, the political and economic weights are increasingly shifting to the Indo-Pacific region. The region will become the key to shaping the international order in the 21st century,’ the new guidelines say…

“‘It is time for Germany to defend its interests more vigorously,’ German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer emphasized last year… Allies and partners would expect Germany to take the initiative, provide impetus and show options, said the minister. With the measures that have now been adopted, this approach is reflected in the official guidelines of the federal government…”

The Fight for the Mediterranean

The Washington Times wrote on September 2:

“The Mediterranean — an on-again, off-again geopolitical hot spot since before the pyramids were built — is emerging anew as a sea of division and instability, with powers including Russia, China, Turkey and Israel jostling aggressively for influence, natural resources and military advantage. Moscow is eyeing a possible military base along the oil-rich shores of Libya. China is seeking investment deals across the region. Turkey is clashing with NATO partner Greece over drilling rights and militarized islands. Newly discovered offshore natural gas deposits have nations scrambling to stake their claims. Even the Trump administration on Wednesday partially lifted an arms embargo with Cyprus in what was widely interpreted as a shot across Turkey’s bow.

“Analysts generally agree that NATO is failing to ease regional tensions. The U.S., despite multiple interests, lacks leverage in many of the disputes, with President Trump accelerating a U.S. pullback begun under President Obama that opened a power vacuum that others are now scrambling to fill.

“While a range of unsavory players are making moves — Iran, Hezbollah and the Islamic State are among those seeking to exploit the situation — many in Europe and Washington are pointing the finger at Turkey for escalating the crisis by threatening to use force to take possession of natural gas finds beneath a string of Mediterranean islands that most in Europe say belongs to Greece.

“The two NATO member states are now locked in a dangerous maritime standoff that is shaking the alliance to its core, with mediation attempts by Germany and others in the European Union so far going nowhere while the Trump administration warily monitors the situation. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday that Mr. Trump has held private discussions with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and that the White House is ‘urging everyone to stand down.’”

NATO is falling apart, to be replaced by a powerful European army under German leadership.

Turkey Destroys Christian Church

Breitbart wrote on September 3:

“Turkish authorities razed to the ground the historic St. Georgios Christian church late Wednesday, an iconic structure known as the ‘Hagia Sophia of Bursa.’

“The Greek Orthodox Church of St. Georgios had been restored and transformed into a cultural center… The municipality took over the church in 2006 and invested some 2 million Turkish lira in restorations… Seven years ago, however, an Islamic organization… filed a lawsuit to gain ownership rights over the church and in 2013 proprietorship was assigned to [it]… After the transfer, the building received no regular maintenance and was allowed to go to ruin… Aware of the danger, the… Municipality had attempted again in 2016 to recover control of the church to be able to carry out necessary renovations, but received the reply that the building could not be used for any purpose other than a place of Muslim worship. Last July, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reconverted Istanbul’s iconic 6th-century Hagia Sophia church into a mosque, after 86 years serving as a museum. He then proceeded to convert another historic former church, the 4th-century Chora church, one of Istanbul’s oldest Byzantine structures.

“President Erdogan has come under fire for undoing the work of secular Turkey’s founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, appeasing more radical Muslim elements by re-Islamizing the country. A Time magazine article Thursday warned of Mr. Erdogan’s ‘Love Affair with the Ottoman Empire’ that is moving the nation in a dangerous direction. ‘Much has been written about Erdogan’s attempts to “resurrect” the Ottoman Empire or to style himself a sultan,’ the article states. More precisely, Erdogan seems to be adopting the persona of the empire’s ninth sultan, Selim I, during whose reign ‘the Ottoman Empire grew from a strong regional power to a gargantuan global empire,’ it relates.”

Erdogan’s ambitions are far too obvious.

Trump’s “Peace Plan” Failing

The Los Angeles Times wrote on September 3:

“… after two trips through the region by senior Trump advisors to build on what they hoped would be momentum from the Emirates deal, no other Arab nation has said it is willing to take the long-shunned leap to accept and recognize Israel as a legitimate Mideast neighbor, at least not until Israel resolves its conflict with Palestinians… their hesitance also reflects decades of political and religious tension, in which most of the Arab world steadfastly pretends Israel does not exist.

“The Emirates would become only the third Arab country in history to recognize Israel, after Egypt and Jordan… The Emirates has been partly motivated by its desire to buy some of the most sophisticated fighter jets in the U.S. arsenal. An undisclosed number of F-35 fighter jets will reportedly be sold to the Emirates, despite Israeli objections…

“Regional powerhouse Saudi Arabia, despite its close relationship with the Trump administration, reiterated that it would not recognize Israel without an agreement with the Palestinians. The Saudis see themselves as leaders of the Sunni Arab world, with custody of Islam’s most important religious shrines, and have to tread carefully.

“Morocco and Bahrain echoed Saudi Arabia. Morocco is a unique case because it quietly enjoys tolerant relations with Israel. Moroccan Jews make up the second-largest immigrant population in Israel, after Russians, and there are cultural, travel and other connections between the two countries, albeit conducted discreetly.

“The official Bahrain News Agency reported that King Hamad bin Isa al Khalifa told Pompeo that he would countenance only the two-state solution.

“Sudan, receiving Pompeo on Aug. 25, hinted it might come on board but only if it was removed from the State Department’s list of state sponsors of terrorism. Qatar rebuffed Kushner, telling him upon his arrival there Wednesday that only a two-state solution — recognition of an independent Palestinian country alongside Israel — was acceptable.

“In U.S.-friendly Kuwait, legislators are pushing through a law that would prohibit normalization and impose a boycott on Israeli goods. ‘Kuwait has not changed its position, and it will be the last country to normalize with Israel,’ an unnamed government official was quoted as saying in the daily newspaper Al Qabas….”

It was clear from the outset: This “peace plan” has NO CHANCE of lasting success.

EU Threatens Serbia and Kosovo

The Associated Press wrote on September 7:

“In an unexpected move last week, Trump said that Serbia and Kosovo had agreed to normalize economic ties as part of US-brokered talks that include Belgrade moving its embassy to Jerusalem, and mutual recognition between Israel and Kosovo…

“‘There is no EU member state with an embassy in Jerusalem,’ European Commission spokesman Peter Stano said. ‘Any diplomatic steps that could call into question the EU’s common position on Jerusalem are a matter of serious concern and regret.’”

More and more, the EU is ruling its members and prospective members with an “iron hand.” Subsequently, Serbia and Kosovo have tried to somewhat distance themselves from Trump’s comments, fearing EU dictatorship.

Coming… a Brexit without a Trade Agreement?

Business Insider wrote on September 7:

“UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson plans to overwrite key parts of the Brexit withdrawal deal he agreed with the EU last year as he insists that leaving all existing trade arrangements without a fresh deal at the end of the year would be a ‘good outcome’ for Britain… Johnson’s official spokesman confirmed on Monday that the government will move to ‘clarify specific elements’ of the deal…

“In practice, the bill will give UK ministers the power in primary legislation to determine what goods going from Great Britain to Northern Ireland are ‘at risk’ of entering the EU… Critics of the move say these changes are significant changes that could undermine the entire Withdrawal Agreement.

“Under the terms of the Northern Irish protocol, while Great Britain will leave the EU’s single market and customs union at the end of the year, Northern Ireland will continue to follow the EU’s trading rules in order to avoid a controversial hard border with the Republic of Ireland. This arrangement will create new checks on goods moving both ways between Great Britain and Northern Ireland from January….

“Responding to the reports, the EU warned that any attempt to rip up parts of the Brexit withdrawal agreement would wreck any chance of agreeing on a new future trading relationship. The prime minister on Sunday night reiterated that he was prepared to walk away from negotiations without an agreement and trade with the EU on the harshest terms if Brussels did not shift its position on fishing and state aid.

“Johnson… said that Thursday, October 15 was the deadline for striking a deal, telling the EU: ‘If we can’t agree by then, then I do not see that there will be a free trade agreement between us, and we should both accept that and move on.’”

And so, the possibility of a no-deal Brexit becomes more and more likely.

Further Obstacles regarding a Brexit Deal

Deutsche Welle wrote on September 9:

“The UK government has admitted that rewriting its EU divorce treaty ‘breaks international law in a very specific and limited way.’ The EU has warned that the move could have serious consequences… Appearing in the UK Parliament on Wednesday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson was accused of presiding over a ‘rogue state….

“Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, warned the UK… [adding]  that any deviation from the withdrawal agreement, however minor, would ‘break international law and undermine trust.’…

“Ministers say the new law will define specific circumstances when the UK can override parts of the withdrawal agreement it ratified last year. The government says it will be able to unilaterally decide which goods are ‘at risk’ of entering the EU….”

Further Locust Plagues in Southern Africa

ABC News reported on September 4:

“Locusts are threatening another part of Africa, with up to 7 million people in the southern region facing further food insecurity… The outbreaks of African migratory locusts in Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe are not related to the huge outbreak of billions of desert locusts that has affected East Africa for months…

“While far smaller, the southern outbreaks need quick attention to prevent a wider problem as farmers and others already struggle to recover from a serious drought last year and the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic… While all four countries have launched pesticide spraying efforts that have been called the only effective locust control, the work has been limited… A new emergency response initiative seeks environmental friendly pesticides…”

These are terrible curses for a world in defiance of God and His laws.

California Turns into a Furnace

MSN wrote on September 7:

“The largest new wildfire, the Creek Fire, was burning out of control across 79,000 acres in Fresno County as of Sunday night… The area is a popular summertime retreat of cabins, scout camps and campgrounds, but it turned into a fiery trap over the weekend. More than 200 people had to be rescued by air from the Mammoth Pool reservoir area. Chinook and Black Hawk helicopters plucked up the evacuees…

“Fire crews elsewhere in California were trying to contain new blazes: A 7,000-acre fire in San Bernardino County in Southern California… A 9,850-acre fire burning in the Cleveland National Forest east of San Diego…”

The Week added on September 7:

“California wildfires have burned nearly 2.1 million acres so far in 2020, surpassing the record for the most land scorched in the state in a single year, CAL Fire Capt. Richard Cordova said Sunday. ‘This is crazy,’ Cordova said. ‘We haven’t even got into the October and November fire season, and we’ve broken the all-time record.’ The news came as a record-setting heat wave created new challenges for exhausted firefighters who had finally started making headway containing some of the biggest blazes.

“The temperature in Woodland Hills, California, reached 121 degrees on Sunday, the highest ever recorded in Los Angeles County. The National Weather Service said the area could get even hotter as a dangerous heat wave continues in California, Nevada, and Arizona, and records could be broken in other parts of the region. ‘This is unmatched, just unprecedented, unreal,’ said John Lindsey, a meteorologist with Pacific Gas and Electric.”

California has been staring total disaster and financial collapse in the face. Its situation was already precarious before the coronavirus restrictions, but got much worse following the ill-conceived lockdown which has destroyed hundreds, if not thousands of businesses.  And now, further “natural” curses add to the catastrophe. How many more warnings must Californians receive before they wake up?

Wildfires at the West Coast

npr wrote on September 9:

“Intense wildfires are ravaging large swaths of the West Coast, prompting thousands of people to flee parts of Oregon and forcing power outages in California, where fires have already burned a record of more than 2.3 million acres this year. Fires are burning from Washington state to Southern California. In southern Oregon, people in parts of Medford, Talent and nearby communities were ordered to evacuate the area immediately Tuesday, with officials citing the imminent threat of fast-moving fires. The entire town of Phoenix — which has several thousand people — was told to leave.”

The Week added on September 9:

“With several catastrophic fires burning across Oregon, Gov. Kate Brown (D) warned on Wednesday that all residents ‘must be on high alert,’ as the blazes could lead to the ‘greatest loss of human life and property due to wildfire in our state’s history.’”

No Protection from Facebook and Twitter?

JTA wrote on September 3:

“Nadine Strossen, [John Marshall Harlan II Professor of Law and] the former head of the ACLU and a daughter of Holocaust survivors… believes… moves to censor hate speech are generally ill-advised…

“‘… it’s really important to understand that there is no agreed upon legal definition of hate speech in the United States — the U.S. Supreme Court has consistently, unanimously refused to carve out an exception from free speech protections…

“‘The First Amendment protects us only against government restrictions on our speech. We have no free speech rights against Facebook or any private sector entity. There are a lot of people who are shocked to learn that! …”

So, Facebook, Twitter and others can do what they want. Users should be aware of that.

Wilders Not Guilty of Inciting Hatred

Deutsche Welle wrote on September 4:

“The far-right populist Geert Wilders had been found guilty by a lower court in the Netherlands of inciting hatred against Moroccans. But an appeals court has dismissed the charges. Judges did, however, uphold his prior conviction for collectively insulting the Moroccan people…

“The charges against Wilders were levied in 2016 and related to one of his campaign rallies two years earlier. At the event, Wilders led supporters by asking whether they wanted more or fewer Moroccans in the Netherlands. ‘Fewer! Fewer! Fewer!’ his supporters chanted back. ‘We’re going to take care of that,’ Wilders told the crowd.”

It is hard to see how Wilders’ comments, as quoted, could be remotely characterized as hate speech.

Australia’s Ridiculous Travel Ban

News.com.au wrote on September 5:

“Australia’s international travel ban has been extended by a further three months — news that’s painful enough for anyone hankering for an overseas holiday, but devastating for those who have more serious reasons to travel abroad… it has also made Australians some of the only people in the world who need special permission to leave their country during the pandemic, with no clear end in sight.

“Aside from a few exemptions for special workers, dual nationals and those who usually live overseas, there are only six reasons Australians can ask permission to leave: critical business work, urgent medical treatment not available in Australia, urgent and unavoidable personal business, compassionate or humanitarian grounds, and travel in the national interest… only about a third of requests submitted to the Australian Broder Force are successful — no matter how desperate or heartfelt the reasons for travel are. news.com.au has been told of cases where people have had requests denied to see dying relatives — including those as close by as New Zealand — or to attend funerals of immediate family members, including parents. Those cases would generally be thought to fall under the category of compassionate grounds, but still haven’t gotten over the line.

“In other cases, baffled applicants have struggled to produce sufficient evidence — including power bills and school enrolment paperwork — to prove they really do mostly live in another country, which is another reason Australians can apply to travel. Many have expressed confusion about why they can’t leave if they are willing to fork out thousands for hotel quarantine when they return. In some instances people have had their applications denied by border officials, and then had the same application approved by someone else after resubmitting.

“Dual Australian-British citizen Clare Hamilton-Bate told The Guardian she was initially rejected from travelling to London to see her terminally ill, 95-year-old stepfather… Ms Hamilton-Bate, who also wanted to spend time in London with her 90-year-old mother, who has dementia, said she submitted the request with six weeks’ notice… She was successful on her third attempt and managed to make it to London.

“Melbourne man Niall Williams told news.com.au he and his brother were knocked back multiple times trying to get permission to leave Australia to see their dying dad in the UK — and they got approval only after he passed away. ‘My brother is in Sydney, I’m in Melbourne but the Australian Government wouldn’t allow us to leave,’ he said…

“Another traveller, Mickey Chung, told 9 News his application to see his dying grandmother in Hong Kong was denied. ‘I got an email basically just saying, “We don’t believe this is urgent, we don’t believe this is an exceptional circumstance”’, he said. The request was eventually granted, but only after his grandmother had died. He managed to get to Hong Kong for the funeral, and completed the total of 28 days of quarantine required for the quick trip…”

These are terrible and unconscionable restrictions in Australia by a left-wing government.

Britain’s Dictatorship… and the People Love It?

Breitbart wrote on September 9:

“The British government is set to reimpose strict legal limitations on public gatherings, and it is reportedly considering a draconian national curfew… social gatherings of more than six will be banned in England… The new rules would give police the power to break up gatherings of more than six people both indoors and outside…  This includes people’s private homes and gardens, pubs, parks, and restaurants. Family gatherings of more than six are also banned. Weddings, funerals, schools, team sports, and workplaces, however, will be exempt from the rules…

“Refusing to abide by the rules will result in a £100 fine, doubling for repeat offences to a maximum of £3,200. Policing forces were already criticised for overreacting to the outbreak earlier this year, including following dog walkers with drones and last month,  breaking up a child’s birthday party…

“Meanwhile, an astonishing three-quarters of Britons do not think that the public has taken the pandemic seriously (74 per cent) and are worried about a second wave (73 per cent)… The findings from Tuesday suggest that citizens will offer little objection to any such new rules, and will welcome further curtailment of their freedom.

“Businessman and peer Lord Alan Sugar hit out at the mainstream media for stirring up fear over coronavirus, as he urged people to return to work…  ‘I’m sick and tired of watching CNN, Sky [News], Bloomberg, BBC, the lot, because all they do is cause panic amongst people. I’m not interested in any of this stuff, because you can switch the television on any time of day and the first thing you’ll see is more bad news.’”

In a related article, Breitbart wrote on September 9:

“Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage has slammed the government’s new ‘draconian’ lockdown laws, saying that it is hard to justify law-abiding citizens following the new rules when police fail to stop protests and illegal raves… Mr Farage may be right to point out the hypocrisy of threatening to police free, law-abiding Britons after months of authorities failing to crack down on far-left Antifa and Marxist Black Lives Matter protests, so-called ‘street parties’, and illegal raves… Despite several weekends of violent and destructive Black Lives Matter protests, the police admitted that the events were ‘unlawful’ under coronavirus regulations, but effectively did nothing…

“In April, Farage warned of the coronavirus ‘police state’ with Britons expected to live under a ‘house detention regime’, writing: ‘I fear, however, that the arbitrary powers now given to the police may remain in place for a long time to come.’… Former Supreme Court judge Lord Sumption had remarked in March that the way the police and government were treating coronavirus regulations was akin to a ‘police state’. ‘This is what a police state is like — it is a state in which the government can issue orders or express preferences with no legal authority, and the police enforce minister’s wishes,’ he said.”

Dangerous developments indeed… and the people are so blind…

California Church in Defiance of Coronavirus Rules…

CBS wrote on September 5:

“A Los Angeles Superior Court judge is expected to have a decision sometime next week regarding a Sun Valley church’s holding in-person church services in defiance of coronavirus health orders. L.A. County lawyers lost four tries for a temporary restraining order against Grace Community Church, directing leaders to refrain from holding packed indoor services. ‘I recognize the importance of the decision,’ Judge Mitchell L. Beckloff said after an hours-long hearing on Friday.

“Even though an order has not yet been issued by the judge, Beckloff said he won’t allow Gov. Gavin Newsom to file a friend-of-the-court brief in support of the county’s stand.

“L.A. County sued Grace Community Church on Aug. 14 after it began holding indoor services on Sundays. The church, led by Pastor John MacArthur, filed a suit against the county in response and that case is awaiting trial in Burbank Superior Court.

“MacArthur has argued that he’s holding services not to be ‘rebellious’ but because ‘our Lord has commanded us to come together.’ Attorney Amnon Siegel, who is arguing on behalf of the county, pushed back saying ‘religion doesn’t trump health and safety.’”

Italians Wake Up to Health Dictatorship

Breitbart wrote on September 6:

“Thousands of demonstrators gathered in Rome Saturday to protest an extended national ‘state of emergency’ for the coronavirus, which allows the government to issue decrees outside of the legislative process.

“Much of the thrust of messages painted on signs and banners denounced the long-term economic effects of Italy’s lockdowns as well as an alleged ‘strategy of terror’ employed by government-controlled media and an ongoing ‘health dictatorship’ used to thwart the democratic process… From the stage, organizers decried plans for a mandatory coronavirus vaccine, while accusing the left-wing government of ‘intimidating people.’”

Liberman: Reject Israel’s “Illegal” Health Regulations

Times of Israel wrote on September 7:

“Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman urged Israelis on Monday not to comply with the government’s ‘illegal’ health regulations, which he said were purely political and not in citizens’ best interest… Ministers on Sunday evening approved nightly curfews in some 40 cities with high infection numbers, instead of the previously planned full lockdown on a smaller number of towns, in the wake of a threat of rebellion from some ultra-Orthodox mayors and a major political crisis with the ultra-Orthodox parties…

“Liberman said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had ‘sacrificed public health on the altar of protecting the coalition, and therefore all decisions made are blatantly illegal… We cannot allow citizens of the State of Israel to become hostages of Deri, Litzman and Gafni,’ Liberman said, proposing to abolish the so-called coronavirus cabinet and give full control over Israel’s virus response to the Israel Defense Forces.

“Liberman’s comments were met with a barrage of criticism… President Reuven Rivlin wrote on Twitter. ‘Calls for civil disobedience harm the principles ensuring our well-being and the well-being of the entire public, specifically during crises…’ Health Minister Yuli Edelstein of the Likud party said, ‘Liberman is playing with fire,’ charging that the opposition politician was acting ‘recklessly and irresponsibly and taking advantage of a fragile health and economic situation. Shame.’

“Knesset Speaker Yariv Levin, also of Likud, said in a statement that the call for civil disobedience will ‘create anarchy and endanger the health of all citizens of Israel…’ Defense Minister and Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz also called Liberman’s comments ‘irresponsible’…”

Trump’s Ill-Advised Fight with Fox News

CNN wrote on September 5:

“After spending much of the day bashing The Atlantic for Jeffrey Goldberg’s jarring report which said Trump had disparaged military members who died in service to the country, Fox News itself confirmed key aspects of it… [Fox News’ national security] correspondent Jennifer Griffin said she had confirmed Trump disparaged veterans; didn’t want to honor the dead at the Aisne-Marne Cemetery; and did not want to lower flags after the death of John McCain…

“In a late-night Friday tweet, Trump attacked Griffin… saying, ‘Jennifer Griffin should be fired for this kind of reporting.’ He added that he believed Fox News is ‘gone.’

The Daily Beast wrote on September 6:

“Filling in for Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday this weekend, Bret Baier took the opportunity to accuse President Donald Trump of ‘cancel culture’ hypocrisy…  [Griffin had] confirmed with her sources that, among other things, he had described U.S. service members as ‘suckers’ and ‘losers’…

“Cavuto called her a ‘very good reporter’ who is ‘pretty scrupulous when it comes to making sure all the i’s are dotted, all the t’s are crossed.’”

Trump also denied having called McCain a “loser.” However, he clearly did so, saying this before millions of TV viewers.

How “Evangelical” is Trump?

The Independent wrote on September 8:

“A new book by Donald Trump’s disgraced former lawyer Michael Cohen has described the president leaving an event with evangelical leaders and ridiculing their faith in crude terms… According to Mr Cohen, the president emerged from the session with contempt. ‘Can you believe that bulls**t?’ he allegedly said. ‘Can you believe people believe that bulls**t?’ [Reference is made to an incident when evangelical leaders placed their hands on him to pray for him.]

“The White House has dismissed Mr Cohen’s account of the incident, along with the book as a whole and other incidents that it alleges…

“Hardly known for his religiosity before entering politics, Mr Trump has successfully cultivated a relationship with evangelical leaders and voters since he began running for president in 2015. When asked by interviewers at the time to name a favourite Bible verse, he refused; pressed on whether he preferred the Old or New Testament, he said ‘probably equal’…

“Telling evangelical congregations that he would end a supposed national ‘siege’ of Christianity, he also formed a bond with many of the US’s most prominent Christian leaders, including Jerry Falwell Jr., president of the highly conservative Liberty University. (Mr Falwell has recently been pressured to leave the university amid allegations of abusing his position for financial gain and enjoying a three-way sexual relationship with his wife and a male pool attendant. He denies the claims of impropriety.)

“However, even as Mr Trump has maintained his claims to be devout during his presidency, especially during his nomination of two conservative Supreme Court justices, not all are convinced. He was widely castigated for a notorious photoshoot in Washington, DC this summer in which he ordered police to tear gas… protesters out of the way so he could pose with a Bible outside a church. The incident saw many political and religious leaders outside the evangelical movement accuse him of exploiting the book as a prop….”

Politics and religion don’t mix, but sadly, they are clearly embraced, in one way or another, by ALL political candidates. See the next article about Joe Biden and other Catholic Democrats.

How “Catholic” is Biden?

CNA (Catholic News Agency) wrote on August 12, 2020:

“Biden, a Catholic, is in the habit of going to Mass while traveling… it will soon raise questions familiar both to bishops and to pundits: Can pro-choice politicians like Biden receive the Eucharist? And will anyone stop Biden if he approaches the communion line?

“The norm of canon 915 itself is clear: Catholics ‘obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to holy communion.’… In 2004, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger [later Pope Benedict, who subsequently retired], then head of the Church’s doctrinal office, wrote a memorandum to the U.S. Catholic bishops, explaining the application of canon 915 to the question of pro-choice politicians. The case of a Catholic politician who is ‘consistently campaigning and voting for permissive abortion and euthanasia laws’ would constitute ‘formal cooperation’ in grave sin that is ‘manifest,’ the letter explained.

“In such cases, ‘his pastor should meet with him, instructing him about the Church’s teaching, informing him that he is not to present himself for Holy Communion until he brings to an end the objective situation of sin, and warning him that he will otherwise be denied the Eucharist,’ Ratzinger wrote. If the individual perseveres in grave sin and still presents himself for Holy Communion, ‘the minister of Holy Communion must refuse to distribute it.’…

“Asked by a journalist, Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York said in October that he would not deny Biden the Eucharist. Before that, in January 2019, Dolan had said that he would not deny the Eucharist to New York’s Governor Andrew Cuomo, who signed into law one of the most permissive abortion laws in the country’s history…

“Biden… supports the federal funding of abortion and in 2016 officiated at a same-sex wedding…

“So here’s what’s likely to happen: At some point between now and election day, a young priest will find Joe Biden in his communion line. Because of the priest’s convictions about the unborn and his sacramental theology, he will deny Biden the Eucharist.

“Someone will see it, a report will get out… The priest will issue a statement explaining himself, and then be roundly criticized… Pro-choice or progressive leaning Catholics will on social media call the priest a fundamentalist…

“If that prediction sounds quite specific, that’s because it’s what happened in October 2019, the last time Biden was denied the Eucharist… That leaves priests who put the policy into practice standing often by themselves. It leaves some Catholics confused about how seriously the Church takes its own teaching and its own sacramental discipline…”

Biden has insisted that his religious faith has been a “bedrock foundation” of his life and that his personal beliefs should not be confused with his official position as a politician. What kind of a rationale is that?

As a Catholic, how can he or Pelosi or Como or other Catholic politicians support a concept which is in blatant opposition of Catholic doctrine? And it is untrue that a distinction should be drawn between his private and his official position. When he officiated a marriage at a private event for a same-sex couple, that too violated Catholic doctrine.

Pelosi’s Hypocrisy and the Destruction of Another Business

Fox News wrote on September 9:

“San Francisco hair salon owner Erica Kious is shutting her doors for good after controversy over a visit by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi last week destroyed her business… Fox News obtained surveillance video last week of Pelosi visiting the salon for a hair wash and blowout, despite the fact that San Francisco salons were closed at the time due to the coronavirus pandemic. The video showed Pelosi walking through the interior of the salon without wearing a mask.

“Kious told host Tucker Carlson she was attacked for exposing Pelosi. ‘I started to just get a ton of phone calls, text messages, emails, all my Yelp reviews… saying that they hope I go under and that I fail,’ she said. ‘So just a lot of negativity towards my business.’ Kious said the negativity has made her hesitant to return to San Francisco, where she has lived for the past 15 years. ‘I’m actually afraid to go back… It’s a little scary and sad,’ she said. ‘I do have a lot of positive calls and text messages from clients. But other than that, nothing but negativity.’”

What terrible developments in a country which is destroying itself…

 Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

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

Russia’s Ambitions regarding Alaska

The Associated Press wrote on August 28:

“The Russian navy conducted major war games near Alaska involving dozens of ships and aircraft, the military said Friday, the biggest such drills in the area since Soviet times… more than 50 warships and about 40 aircraft were taking part in the exercise in the Bering Sea, which involved multiple practice missile launches…

“Russia has prioritized boosting its military presence in the Arctic region, which is believed to hold up to one-quarter of the Earth’s undiscovered oil and gas. Russian President Vladimir Putin has cited estimates that put the value of Arctic mineral riches at $30 trillion…

“The Russian military has expanded the number and the scope of its war games in recent years as Russia-West relations have sunk to their lowest level since the Cold War after Russia’s 2014 annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula, and other crises.”

Russia has had its eyes on Alaska for a long time.

Russia Ready to Intervene in Belarus

TRT World wrote on August 28:

“Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has agreed with Russian President Vladimir Putin that their countries could unite their troops in the event of a threat from the West… Lukashenko… is facing the biggest challenge in his 26 years in power after protests and strikes erupted following a contested August 9 election… Lukashenko ordered half of the country’s army to enter combat preparedness…

“The EU… is preparing sanctions against his regime for ballot fraud and a violent crackdown on opposition protesters… German Chancellor Angela Merkel… said she has also tried to call Lukashenko, but that he has refused to speak with her thus far.”

It seems that Russia’s intervention in Belarus is only a matter of time. Belarus will not become a part of the EU. Neither will Ukraine.

Lukashenko Plays Hardball

Deutsche Welle wrote on August 29:

“Authorities in Belarus stripped several foreign media journalists of their press accreditation on Saturday, with some reportedly facing expulsion from the country. Journalists working for news agencies Agence France Presse and the Associated Press as well as British broadcaster BBC, German public broadcaster ARD and US broadcaster Radio Liberty had their accreditation stripped.

“German broadcaster ARD said that one of their camera teams was arrested overnight despite having the appropriate accreditation. They were released in the morning after authorities withdrew their accreditation and ordered two Russian members of the team to leave the country. Their Belarusian producer has been threatened with legal action… the Belarusian Association of Journalists spoke of a massive wave of accreditation withdrawals for journalists working for foreign TV, radio, newspapers and news agencies.”

The Associated Press added on August 30:

“Belarus on Saturday cracked down hard on foreign news media that have been covering the protests, deporting at least four Russian journalists, including two from The Associated Press. The government also revoked the accreditation of many Belarusian journalists working for foreign new agencies, including journalists working for AP.”

VOA News reported on August 29:

“Lukashenko… said he would block neighboring European countries from shipping goods to Russia over Belarusian territory and divert Belarusian exports now shipped through ports in neighboring EU member Lithuania to other outlets.

“‘If they, Poles and Lithuanians, used to fly through us to China and Russia, now they will fly through the Baltic or through the Black Sea to trade with Russia, and so on, and they can only dream of sanctioned products, those products on which Russia has imposed an embargo,’ he said. Lithuania, Poland and Latvia have called for Europe to take stronger action against Lukashenko…”

Demonstrations Ongoing

The Associated Press wrote on August 30:

“Tens of thousands of demonstrators rallied Sunday in the Belarusian capital of Minsk to begin the fourth week of daily protests demanding that the country’s authoritarian president resign… There were no official figures on the crowd size, but some opposition sources claimed it exceeded 100,000…

“Putin and Lukashenko talked by phone on Sunday, but a Kremlin statement gave few details of the conversation, other than noting that Putin congratulated the Belarusian leader on his 66th birthday.”

The situation in Belarus is nearing its boiling point.

Merkel: Russian Opposition Leader Navalny Was Poisoned

Deutsche Welle wrote on September 2:

“Angela Merkel said there was ‘shocking information’ that showed ‘beyond a doubt’ that the apparent poisoning of Alexei Navalny was ‘an attempted murder with nerve agent’ after a toxicology test in Germany showed that the opposition leader had been targeted with Novichok. Merkel said Navalny was ‘the victim of a crime intended to silence him.’

“She said the gravity of that fact made it important for her to ‘take a clear stance.’ The chancellor said the case raises ‘very serious questions that only the Russian government can answer — and must answer,’ adding, ‘the world will wait for an answer.’…

“Berlin will now confer with its EU and NATO partners to discuss an appropriate reaction to the incident… Calling for a united diplomatic reaction in her statement, Merkel said, ‘The crime against Alexei Navalny was aimed at the fundamental values and rights for which we stand.’” 

It will remain to be seen what “diplomatic” measures the EU and NATO are willing to take against Russia.    

The Nord Stream Pipeline–Resisting the USA “from the Beginning!”

Der Spiegel wrote on August 28:

“Threats of sanctions from the U.S. have put a stop to the construction of the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline from Russia to Germany. The multibillion-euro project is now at risk, and leading German politicians are not amused. … It’s not just environmentalists who have spent years resisting the project. Many of Germany’s European Union partners, particularly Poland and the Baltic countries, see it as a strategic error since it makes Europe dependent on Russian gas… the German government has stubbornly pursued its completion, and now, the two 1,230-kilometer-long pipelines beneath the Baltic Sea from the Narva Bay in Russia to the German town of Lubmin is virtually finished. Only about 150 kilometers still have to be laid.

“Now, though, U.S. President Donald Trump could torpedo the project at the very last moment. Washington is currently threatening to impose sanctions on companies that are involved in the pipeline. Both houses of Congress are intending to expand the Sanctions Act to include the pipeline. Construction has currently been halted due to concern over the potential sanctions… U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has announced that the pipeline falls under 2017 Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), effective immediately. The act was originally passed as a lever against enemies like Iran and North Korea, but now Germany has also become a target of extraterritorial sanctions…

“Placing Germany on the same level as Iran and North Korea in the debate over the pipeline marks a new low in the German-American relationship. ‘Sanctions between partners is clearly the wrong path. Germany and Europe make their own decisions about energy policy,’ said German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, a member of the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD). He was echoed by Manuela Schwesig, the SPD governor of the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, which is where Mukran Port is located and has borne the brunt of the halt in construction. ‘The behavior of the U.S. government is scandalous,’ she said. ‘We can’t accept that. I expect the federal government to make it clear to the U.S. that we do not accept such behavior.’

“But it’s not that easy. For Berlin, the conflict with the U.S. is a sensitive tightrope walk. On the one hand, it must try to protect domestic companies from the American aggression. On the other, it makes Berlin look even more like a sponsor of the project, which promises to provide a significant financial boost to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Given the recent poisoning of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny, calls for sanctions against Putin have grown louder. Were Berlin to now step in on behalf of the multibillion-euro joint project, say critics, it would seem rather counterproductive. Indeed, there have been increasing demands for Germany to end its involvement in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline… At the same time, though, it would be a victory for Washington and Trump’s foreign policy, which many have begun to view as a form of extortion….

“Germans have underestimated the danger eminating from Putin’s Russia. The suspicion is that the pipeline is part of his geo-political ambitions, giving him yet another lever with which he can exert pressure. It would allow him to simply cut off the gas supply to countries formerly in the Soviet sphere of influence without affecting flows to customers further to the west. Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia and Estonia are all dependent on natural gas from Russia. At greatest risk, however, is Ukraine, where Russia has been supporting separatists in the country’s far east for many years. Some 40 percent of the natural gas imported by the EU from Russia flows through Ukraine…

That, in turn, will allow Moscow to exert more pressure on Kiev, thus potentially sabotaging the country’s attempts to establish closer ties to Europe…

“Many EU countries that have thus far been critical of the pipeline, however, felt the need to show solidarity with Germany in the face of the harsh U.S. sanctions. In mid-August, 24 of the 27 EU member states sent the State Department a sternly worded note of protest in the form of a video conference. Hungary, Latvia and Romania did not join the protest… Should the U.S. find success with its bullying tactics, says one diplomat, every EU member state would have to prepare for being a U.S. target at some point – and thus dependent on assistance from its partners in the bloc. Today, the focus is on Nord Stream 2, ‘but tomorrow it could be on computers, ships, cars or something else,’ says Daniel Caspary, head of the German conservatives group in the European Parliament. ‘We have to resist at the beginning.’”

Europe’s intent to gang up with Germany against the USA is only too obvious.

Turkey Grants Citizenship to Hamas Operatives

Breaking Israel News wrote on August 28:

“The Telegraph reported its reporter had seen Turkish identity papers issued to at least one of 12 senior Hamas operatives. At least seven of the operatives were granted citizenship and issued an 11-digit identity number and passports, while the five remaining Hamas operatives are in the process of receiving passports…  Turkish passports would allow the operatives to travel extensively around the world.

“In a shocking revelation, the Telegraph reported that all of the 12 operatives were released and deported from Israel under the Shalit Deal of 2011, in which 1,027 mostly Palestinian prisoners were released in exchange for an Israeli soldier. Two-hundred and eighty of these had been sentenced to life in prison for planning and perpetrating various attacks against Israeli targets. Hamas military leader Ahmed Jabari was quoted… as confirming that the prisoners released under the deal were collectively responsible for the killing of 569 Israelis.”

The Bible does not have too many good things to say about end-time Turkey.

Turkey’s Ambitions in Lebanon

The Jerusalem Post wrote on August 27:

“… officials in Lebanon are concerned at increased indications of Turkish efforts to build strength and influence in the country. The report quoted two sources in Lebanese intelligence, who mentioned recent Turkish efforts to bring [‘an incredible amount of’] weapons into northern Lebanon…

“Turkey is actively involved using both its own forces and proxies in the two fragmented Arab countries to Lebanon’s east – Syria and Iraq. The deployments in both countries already have the look of the long term about them, with clearly defined areas of control. Turkey is also active in Libya…

“To these areas add Turkey’s aggressive naval stance in the Eastern Mediterranean, and its active backing of Hamas in Gaza and the West Bank and of Islamist organizations in Jerusalem. All these add up to a strategy in which Ankara is seeking to emerge as the main strategic beneficiary of the chaos and fragmentation that has gripped much of the region over the last decade….

“The fragile Lebanese sectarian balance has been shattered over the last decade by the entry of around one million overwhelmingly Sunni Syrian refugees… Sunni Islamist Turkey is seeking to fill the vacuum, and to recruit the Lebanese Sunni street to its banner…”

Turkey would love to become the leader of Sunni nations, but this will never happen. For instance, Saudi Arabia would never agree to this.

Trump Accepts Republican Nomination

Deutsche Welle wrote on August 28:

“In a speech delivered from a huge stage on the White House front lawn he… described the upcoming election as ‘the most important in the history of our country.’ In an attack on his Democrat rival Joe Biden, he said there had never been ‘a clearer choice between two parties, two visions, two philosophies… Joe Biden is not a savior of America’s soul, he is a destroyer of America’s jobs and if given the chance he will be the destroyer of American greatness,’ Trump said…

“The location of Trump’s speech broke tradition and regulations of not using the White House mansion for purely political events. There was no social distancing in place for the crowd sat watching the speech and face masks were not required…

“Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday [accepted] his… nomination. He defended police and called for an end to unrest in cities where violence broke out following anti-police demonstrations… He added: ‘We’re not going to defund the police. Not now, not ever.’”

The coming election might very well turn out to be the most important one in the history of the USA, as it might be the last one.

South Dakota under Attack

KELO wrote on August 28:

“Right now South Dakota has the highest number of active Covid-19 cases since the pandemic started. There were 2,182 active cases in the state as of Friday’s briefing from the State Department of Health. But Governor Noem says that’s not the number she’s most concerned about.

“‘What we’ve always been focused on is the hospitalization numbers,’ Noem said. ‘We’ve seen a little bit of an increase in those as well but previously for the last several weeks they’ve been declining. I think we’re exactly where we thought we would be.’”

Satan is very anxious to try to destroy South Dakota and with it the feast site for the Church of the Eternal God. But he will not prevail.

Deadly Violence in Portland, Oregon

The Associated Press reported on August 30:

“Police issued a plea early Sunday for videos, photos or eyewitness accounts of a fatal shooting in Portland, Oregon, that unfolded after hundreds of supporters of President Donald Trump clashed with Black Lives Matter protesters in the streets of the city. The shooting late Saturday night came about 15 minutes after a caravan of about 600 vehicles that were part of a pro-Trump rally left downtown, police said. It wasn’t clear if the shooting was related to the clashes between Trump supporters and counterprotesters in Oregon’s largest city, which has become a flashpoint in the national Black Lives Matter protests…

“On Sunday, Trump issued a flurry of tweets and retweets including several that blamed Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler for the death… Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf blamed local officials for failing ‘to protect their communities.’…”

Breitbart added on August 30:

“Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D) issued a statement on Sunday blaming President Donald Trump for the violence seen across American cities, particularly in Portland, after a Trump supporter was shot and killed. Brown’s comments came after months of inaction by local authorities to wrangle violent protests across the city of Portland under Mayor Ted Wheeler…

“Since the death of George Floyd, Portland has become a hot spot for violent crime, including the burning and looting of buildings, the tearing down of statues and monuments, and various shootings. Police in Portland have been left to fend for themselves with little to no backing from state or local officials.

“Protests across Portland for the past few months have been mostly anti-police. One group took to the streets to burn the American flag and copies of the Bible. Another group set ablaze a severed pig’s head, donned with a cop hat sitting atop an American flag.”

This hypocrisy by Oregon’s Democratic governor and Portland’s incompetent mayor will undoubtedly help Trump in November’s election.

Hunger in the USA

Bloomberg wrote on September 2:

“The ranks of Americans fighting hunger are projected to swell some 45% this year to more than 50 million… About one-third of those relying on food shelves, large-scale and emergency food distributions now are doing so for the first time… In parts of Minnesota, that number is closer to 70%.

“During the pandemic, about a 10th of American households reported they haven’t had enough food in a given week. That’s a shocking figure for the world’s richest country. It’s more than double pre-Covid figures and the highest since comparable government data [started] in 1995… lockdowns have snarled supply chains, and food inflation is projected to rise at the fastest pace in almost a decade. Meanwhile, unemployment, low wages and reduced working hours are diminishing purchasing power—all of which are disproportionately impacting women and minorities, as is food insecurity…”

Terrible consequences of lockdown measures…

Black Lives Matter… That’s How the Nazis Began

The Daily Mail wrote on August 27:

“The footage could hardly be more chilling, like something from the wilder fringes of Hollywood’s dystopian imagination. A woman sits at a table, recoiling in fear. She is penned in, surrounded by a mob of masked men and women, their clenched fists raised menacingly in the air. Again and again the rhythmic chants go up: ‘White silence is violence! No justice, no peace!’ The woman shrinks further back in her chair. The mob moves in. Some of them lean into her face. They stand over her, fists raised, shrieking and shouting, demanding that she too raises her arm in salute. On and on it goes. Nobody comes to her defence. It’s an awful scene, reminiscent of the street scenes in Germany in the spring of 1933, when Nazi thugs demanded that ordinary people raise their arms in homage to Hitler.

“But this is not Germany in 1933… This was Washington DC, one of the great capitals of the democratic West, just two days ago. The woman’s name was Lauren Victor, and her crime was to have been spotted having dinner outside a Washington restaurant. The mob were, inevitably, Black Lives Matter protesters, roaming the streets of the US capital during their latest demonstrations about alleged police brutality towards black Americans. According to an appalled reporter from the Washington Post, the predominantly white activists were trying to force ordinary diners to raise their fists and join in with their chants. Miss Victor, an urban planner, said no.

“Ironically, it turns out she had previously been on Black Lives Matter marches herself, but now she just wanted to have her dinner in peace. ‘It didn’t feel right,’ she said afterwards, adding that she felt ‘under attack’. That seems a remarkably understated way of putting it. I wonder how many of us, in Miss Victor’s shoes, would show the same grace and guts under such horrendous pressure. In almost every detail, it’s a scene that turns your stomach.

“The snarls of aggression and ritual chanting are nothing new. Neither is the hysterical, bullying tone of the protesters. But the facemasks give the episode a deeply sinister feel. So do the ubiquitous camera phones, held up as if the protesters are recording Miss Victor’s non-compliance for some future show trial. In America, the pictures inspired well-deserved horror. Many moderate black leaders were quick to express their condemnation, and even some Black Lives Matter protesters were eager to distance themselves… for weeks now it has been obvious that whatever its origins, the Black Lives Matter movement has become a nihilistic, monomaniacal cult…

“It is now perilously close to fascism – not, perhaps, the same kind of fascism practised by Hitler, Himmler, Goering and Goebbels, but fascism of a peculiarly sinister 21st-century variety. Like all true fascists, the most extreme BLM supporters have a crude… view of history… They believe that through the fires of destruction – ‘defunding’ the police, tearing down statues, emptying museums – humanity can be purged…

“Over time, it has become glaringly obvious that the BLM movement is largely driven by rich, white, expensively educated Left-wing university graduates, like the people involved with Oxford’s Rhodes Must Fall movement. A year ago, they were marching behind the banners of Extinction Rebellion. But anti-racism has become their new status symbol… Their sacred cause permits them to break whatever laws they like…

“It is no exaggeration to say that these self-styled activists will not rest until every museum has been remodelled, every patriotic hymn suppressed, every country house ‘contextualised’, every employee re-educated, every curriculum rewritten. That, too, is how fascism works. There is only one way to stop them. They cannot be appeased, for with every concession their appetite grows. We cannot ignore them and hope they will go away. Nor can we go along with them and hope they leave us alone. The only way to beat them is to stand up to them, and say: ‘No.’”

This is awful conduct! The comparison with Nazi behavior in the 1930s is well deserved.  

Californian County Retaliates against Church—“The Essence of Tyranny”

The Washington Free Beacon wrote on August 31:

“A California church challenged local coronavirus restrictions on worship services, and county authorities responded by canceling the church’s five-decade-old lease.

“County officials informed Grace Community Church that it will terminate its decades-old lease on a parking lot after the church filed a lawsuit over local restrictions against in-person worship. The county told the church in a letter it intends to terminate the lease of a large section of the parking lot that the church leases, threatening to forcibly remove any of the church’s property that remained in the lot. ‘If Grace fails to vacate the premise as required, the District may enter the premises and remove Grace’s personal property in accordance with the Agreement and applicable law, and Grace will be responsible for any resultant expenses incurred by the District,’ the letter states.

“Jenna Ellis, special counsel to the Thomas More Society, said the move is meant to punish a religious organization for requesting the same privileges afforded to protesters. She accused county officials of attempting to ‘abuse their power through burdensome, restrictive, and unconstitutional orders’ and retaliate against those who object. ‘L.A. County is clearly trying to evict Grace Church from use of their parking lot for no other reason than because Pastor John [MacArthur] stood firm and is challenging their power,’ she said. ‘This is the essence of tyranny.’

“The church has leased the parking lot since 1975 without interruption. The county has given the church until October 1 to vacate the lot… The church returned to in-person indoor services in July following more than a month of protests tied to the Black Lives Matter movement. While state and local officials turned a blind eye to—and in some cases participated in—the demonstrations that attracted tens of thousands of people, church leaders filed suit. The lawsuit argues that the ongoing state and local coronavirus restrictions violate the church’s First Amendment rights and unconstitutionally favor political protests over religious services. The church won a temporary victory last week when a judge rejected the county’s attempt to obtain a temporary restraining order to shut down church services…”

Shameful and SO hypocritical!

Don’t Rush out a Vaccine too Soon!

CNN wrote on September 1:

“Vaccine experts are warning the federal government against rushing out a coronavirus vaccine before testing has shown it’s both safe and effective. Decades of history show why they’re right…

“On April 12, 1955 the government announced the first vaccine to protect kids against polio. Within days, labs had made thousands of lots of the vaccine. Batches made by one company, Cutter Labs, accidentally contained live polio virus and it caused an outbreak. More than 200,000 children got the polio vaccine, but within days the government had to abandon the program… From 1955 to 1963, between 10% and 30% of polio vaccines were contaminated with simian virus 40 (SV40)… It was being transferred to millions of Americans…

“In 1976, scientists predicted a pandemic of a new strain of influenza called swine flu. More than 40 years later, some historians call it ‘flu epidemic that never was… Ford was being cajoled to put forward a vaccine that was hastily put together… Ford made the decision to make the immunization compulsory. The government launched the program in about seven months and 40 million people got vaccinated against swine flu, according to the CDC. That vaccination campaign was later linked to cases of a neurological disorder called Guillain-Barre syndrome…

“It took several incidents for people to start distrusting vaccines…

“A too-early EUA for a vaccine could cause a ‘nightmare scenario,’ for a few reasons. One, the vaccine may not be safe. Two, if it is not safe, people will lose faith in vaccines. Three, if a vaccine doesn’t offer complete protection, people will have a false sense of security and increase their risk. Four, if a substandard vaccine gets an EUA, a better vaccine may never get approval, because people would be reluctant to enroll in trials and risk getting a placebo instead of a vaccine….”

And fifth, even “safe” vaccines are not safe, as they all have the risks of serious side effects.

Inflated Figures and Lockdown Useless and Harmful

Collective Evolution wrote on August 30:

“According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), out of all the deaths that have been labelled as a COVID-19 death in the United States so far, for 6% of them ‘COVID-19 was the only cause mentioned’ and for 94% of the deaths, there were other causes and conditions in addition to COVID-19. The CDC states that ‘for deaths with conditions or causes in addition to COVID-19, on average, there were 2.6 additional conditions or causes per death.’

“…[For] the majority of deaths that have been attributed to COVID-19, the new virus may not have been the cause of the death… There have also been many claims around the internet that people who have died in car accidents and other causes have been marked as a Covid death if they test positive… a study published in Italy shows that 99 percent of people who had died so far from COVID 19 at the time of the study had pre-existing medical conditions that made them more susceptible to death… we do not see people who die of a heart attack tested to see if they have the flu. What’s been happening here is that if someone dies of a heart-attack but tests positive for COVID-19, it’s also marked as a covid death…

“There have been some eye-opening statements from health authorities all over the world that seem to have emphasized that some deaths that are clearly not a result of covid, but of something else, have again, also been marked as a covid death if the patient tested positive. This has been a common theme throughout the pandemic. For example, Dr. Ngozi Ezike, Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, recently stated that, even if it’s clear one died of an alternative cause, their death will still be marked as a COVID death… Toronto Public Health tweeted in late June that ‘Individuals who have died with COVID-19, but not as a result of COVID-19, are included in the case counts for COVID-19 deaths in Toronto.’

“The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment announced a change to how it tallies coronavirus deaths amid complaints that it inflated numbers… Vittorio Sgarbi, Italian politician Mayor of Sutri, gave an emotional speech at a hearing on the 24th of April where he emphasized that the number of deaths in Italy due to COVID-19 are completely false and that the people are being lied to. He stated his belief that governments were doing this to exercise more control over the population. This sentiment echoes the thoughts of many notable people, like Dr. Ron Paul for example…

“It’s also important to mention the research and opinions of many health experts who have been emphasizing that the case-fatality rate of COVID-19 is very similar to a severe flu. For example, Ronald B. Brown, Ph.D., from the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada says, based on his research, that the coronavirus fatality rates we were/are given represents ‘Worst Miscalculation in Human History.’ Dr. Brown added that CDC and WHO documents show that the case fatality rate for influenza was similar to the coronavirus, implying that the lockdowns were pointless. His paper questions why the 2017-2018 influenza season in the United States did not ‘receive the same intensive media coverage as COVID-19.’

“The Physicians For Informed Consent (PIC) recently published a report titled ‘Physicians for Informed Consent (PIC) Compares COVID-19 to Previous Seasonal and Pandemic Flu Periods.’ According to them, the infection/fatality rate of COVID-19 is 0.26%… Many doctors and scientists around the world have been emphasizing from the very beginning that lockdown measures [are] completely unnecessary, harmful, and don’t really make any sense. For example, more than 500 German doctors & scientists have… expressed the same thing multiple times early on in the pandemic all the way up to today…

“What makes it even more important is that the thousands of scientists and doctors all over the world who are sharing opinions, research, and data that seems to contradict what we’ve been given from organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) are being heavily censored, and in some cases ridiculed. A lot of the information presented in this article is never really presented by the mainstream media, and as a result the masses are usually beamed with a one-sided perception while these same networks simply ridicule and label any opposing information that threatens their narrative as a ‘conspiracy theory.’…

“We live in a world where big interests seem to dominate politics and science… Understanding what’s going on here, or at least attempting to through the process of critical thinking and questioning, is all part of the process. In an ideal world there would be complete transparency of all issues, but today we have a digital authoritarian ‘fact-checker’ that seems to be patrolling the internet telling people what is and what isn’t instead of allowing people to make up their own minds. You are not stupid, and you have the ability to think for yourself! Don’t ever forget that.”

Very well expressed! Also, the Ron Paul Institute wrote on September 2 about the “Pelosi-Gate: House Speaker’s Hair-Raising Hypocrisy,” continuing:

“US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi was busted yesterday, sneaking in to a beauty salon in San Francisco for a shampoo. Salons in California had been closed for months to ‘fight Covid’ but the Speaker obviously believes that some people are more equal than others.”

Robert F Kennedy at Berlin Anti-Corona Demonstrations

BBC News reported on August 29:

“Some 38,000 people took to the streets in [Berlin] for mostly peaceful demonstrations… Similar rallies took [place] in other European cities… Thousands gathered in London’s Trafalgar Square to protest against issues including coronavirus restrictions… Similar protests took place in Paris, Vienna and Zurich…

“The protests have also gained support from Robert F Kennedy Jr. The anti-vaccination campaigner, also the son of assassinated US Democratic presidential hopeful Robert F Kennedy and nephew of assassinated US President John F Kennedy, is at the demonstrations in Berlin.

“Mr Kennedy told the crowd at the Victory Column that his uncle had famously addressed Berlin in 1963 to counter totalitarianism and that ‘today Berlin is again the front against totalitarianism’, warning of a surveillance state…’”

The Irish Times wrote on August 29:

“Robert F Kennedy, a US vaccination sceptic, praised the cheering crowd for pushing back against what he called efforts to spread fear in the pandemic and impose a new surveillance state. Half a century after his uncle visited Berlin, then a cold war frontier against totalitarianism, Mr Kennedy delighted the crowd by repeating his uncle’s most famous slogan, but in a very different context. ‘Today Berlin is once again a front against totalitarianism,’ he said to huge cheers. ‘And that is why I’m proud to say, ‘Ich bin ein Berliner.’”

Spahn Criticizes Demonstration

Die Süddeutsche Zeitung reported on August 30:

“Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) [criticized] on Saturday the demonstration in Berlin against the corona-virus. ‚It showed a lack of solidarity and was deeply unpatriotic, not to wear masks, not to practice social distancing, and thereby to jeopardize others,’ Spahn said.”

Maybe Herr Spahn should check the meaning of the words “patriotic” and “lack of solidarity.” It is interesting that even the higher court, allowing the demonstration, thereby overruling the appeal of the police in Berlin, did not demand the wearing of masks, even though it did require social distancing. However, just about two hours after the demonstration started, police called off the protest, citing as justification the disregard for social distancing rules. According to reports which we received, the police provoked the protestors from the outset. They blocked all side streets and they kept delaying the start of the demonstration in an apparent attempt to prevent social distancing. This then was used by the police as “justification” to call off the demonstration. It was reported that demonstrators held posters that read “stop the coronavirus madness” and “end the coronavirus dictatorship,” and a protest leader called for Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government to resign.

German Politicians Conveniently Outraged over Reichstag Incident

Fox News reported on August 30:

“German police forcibly removed far-right protesters and others who stormed the parliament building in Berlin following a protest against the country’s strict coronavirus restrictions. Police dispersed the protesters after they broke away from a large peaceful demonstration, breached a security barrier and then ran up the steps of the Reichstag late Saturday… Scuffles broke out as police drove back the demonstrators with pepper spray…”

What has been consistently “overlooked” in the mainstream media and the “scandal-mass” tabloids is the fact that those who “stormed” the Parliament building (they never entered it) were a few people who were not part of the demonstration, but acted, “following” the demonstration.

Deutsche Welle reported on August 29:

“President Frank-Walter Steinmeier described the incident as an ‘unbearable attack on the heart of our democracy.’

“Foreign Minister Heiko Maas tweeted: ‘It is shameful to have flags of the German Reich in front of Parliament.’ ‘Nazi symbols and flags of the Reichsbürgers and of Imperial Germany have no place in the German Bundestag,’ wrote Finance Minister Olaf Scholz…

“Authorities arrested around 300 people… Around 200 of those were detained in front of the Russian embassy…”

200 or 300 allegedly “violent” people out of 38.000 mostly peaceful demonstrators! According to reports and video material posted on social media, the police acted or reacted very violently against the protestors in front of the Reichstag building or the Russian embassy. Most of them were average citizens and NOT Nazis or far right protestors. Typical propaganda of the mass media in an attempt to manipulate the public! Will this incident be used by Germany’s politicians as a further excuse for prohibiting any anti-corona demonstrations from now on? A macabre parallel could be drawn from the famous Reichstagsbrand in 1933, allegedly perpetrated by a socialist Jew (although some feel that the Nazis themselves were behind the fire), which was then used by Hitler to enact autocratic laws and suspend civil liberties.

The ”comments” by German President Steinmeier on Monday were quite interesting in this regard. He said, as reported by Deutsche Welle, dated August 31:

“My understanding ends where demonstrators allow themselves to be harnessed to the carts of the enemies of democracy and the political agitators, those who seek cooperation with right-wing extremists on the street, but also those who simply walk — without being concerned — alongside neo-Nazis, xenophobes and anti-Semites. Those who don’t clearly and actively separate themselves from them, make common cause with them.”

As mentioned above, there is no evidence that those who “stormed” the Reichstag were right-wing extremists, neo-Nazis, xenophobes and anti-Semites. But even allowing Steinmeier’s comments to be accurate, with that rationale, EVERY demonstration could be prohibited, as some “political agitators” will always be mingling with peaceful protesters. Maybe this is what the German government wants to achieve. Due to the one-sided political reporting of Germany’s mass media and tabloids, a discussion as to whether to ban all anti-Corona protests has already begun.

It Was SO Predictable

Deutsche Welle wrote on September 1:

“In Berlin, anybody taking part in a rally of over 100 people [will] soon be required to wear a face mask [beginning this Saturday]… Face masks also have to be worn at smaller demonstrations if the protesters chant slogans or sing.

“Berlin Mayor Michael Müller announced the new amendments on Twitter, stating that ‘at open-air meetings of more than 100 people, especially demonstrations, the wearing of a mouth and nose cover is now compulsory.’ Until now masks have only been obligatory in shops and on public transport, as well as for children at school, outside of lessons.

“Alongside the decision to make masks mandatory at protests, further new regulations were also agreed on. These included demanding that anyone who wishes to host a private party such as a wedding or birthday will be responsible for ensuring that safety measures are abided by and to keep track of guests contact details to support the tracing of any possible outbreaks.”

Many New Corona “Cases” in the UK, BUT no deaths

The Daily Mail wrote on August 30:

“Another 1,715 people have tested positive for coronavirus today in the biggest daily rise in 12 weeks…

“But, in a positive sign, the country’s death toll is remaining low as just one person died after testing positive for the disease… There were no new deaths in Scotland for the fourth consecutive day. Wales and Northern Ireland each had no new fatalities for the third straight day.”

And so, the scare tactic continues… Newsmax wrote on August 30: “Health experts say PCR testing is too sensitive and needs to be altered to rule out people who have insignificant amounts of COVID-19 because they’re likely not contagious…”

They must be kidding…  

Stiff Fine imposed on Anti Coronavirus Organizer

The Guardian wrote on August 30:

“Piers Corbyn (73) has become one of the first people to receive a £10,000 fixed penalty under new coronavirus laws restricting public gatherings of more than 30 people. The weather forecaster and climate change denier, who is the older brother of the former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, was arrested and fined for his part in organising Saturday’s demonstrations in central London against lockdown restrictions… Corbyn said he was held for 10 hours by police and told officers he and other organisers had filled out all the necessary risk assessments and spent two weeks negotiating with Scotland Yard over the event. He said he planned to challenge the fixed penalty notice in court… Under new changes to regulations, those attending a gathering of more than 30 people may be committing a criminal offence….

“Corbyn’s fine comes after the Met last week dropped a threat to investigate the organiser of another protest on suspicion of breaching coronavirus regulations, after accepting that as a political protest it was exempt.”

What dangerous hypocritical political nonsense.

Another Approach in Italy

Breitbart wrote on August 30:

“The mayor of the Italian town of Sutri north of Rome has established fines for wearing masks except when required by law, insisting that ‘only thieves and terrorists wear masks.’ The contrarian Italian parliamentarian Vittorio Sgarbi, who is also the mayor of Sutri, has been a vocal critic of mask-wearing and other restrictions imposed by the Italian government to address the coronavirus. Mr. Sgarbi announced Saturday that in Sutri ‘anyone found wearing a face mask without need will be fined,’ noting that there are no cases of coronavirus infection in the city. ‘In compliance with the decree of the President of the Council of Ministers, the use of the mask outdoors in the City of Sutri is prohibited for obvious health reasons and indoors except in the case of assemblies,’ the city ordinance reads.

“Mr. Sgarbi said that in all other cases, those found wearing a mask will be fined in compliance with legislation on public order, which prohibits face coverings. ‘The use of protective helmets or any other apparel making it difficult to recognize a person is prohibited in a public places or places open to the public without sufficient reason,’ the law states.

“Mr. Sgarbi also takes aim at certain mask-wearing practices that he finds ‘ridiculous’… ‘the use of the mask in public places, except for employees, appears in evident contrast to the time dedicated to eating that requires taking food without a mask,’ he writes. ‘It therefore seems contradictory that after eating without a mask you get up from the table and put it on. These are ridiculous forms of ostentation that have nothing to do with healthcare needs,’ he concludes.”

His assessment regarding the mandates of wearing masks is quite convincing.

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.