This Week in the News

Christianity to Punish Israel… What’s Wrong with that Picture?

The Times of Israel wrote on June 11:

“The World Council of Churches [WCC] is asking European diplomats to punish Israel with sanctions if it annexes West Bank lands…. [The WCC] is an umbrella body established in 1948 that now has 350 member churches with about 500,000 followers among them. The Catholic Church is not a member.

“If Israel annexes land, the letter said, ‘the EU must surely suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement,’ a reference to a 1995 contract that promotes trade between the bloc and the Jewish state. In addition, the EU should apply sanctions on Israel ‘at least commensurate with those adopted by the EU in response to Russia’s annexation of Crimea.’

“The EU has blacklisted hundreds of Russian individuals and firms over alleged involvement in the Crimea annexation from 2014, subjecting them to entry bans and freezing of EU properties.”

What’s wrong with this picture? Everything! The political and religious collaboration against Israel is obvious.

Turkey: “Israel will Cross the Red Line”

The Algemeiner wrote on June 12:

“Israel’s plan to extend its sovereignty to the Jordan Valley, and parts of Judea and Samaria, will ‘destroy all hopes’ for lasting peace in the Middle East, Turkey’s top diplomat said on Wednesday. If the occupying power [Israel] crosses the red line, we [Muslim countries] must show that this will have consequences,’ Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said…

“Cavusoglu went on to say that ‘the annexation of the Jordan Valley by Israel and illegal settlements’… would turn Israel into a ‘racist’ state.”

“Racism” seems to be the word of the day. According to the Bible, Turkey (Esau) will collaborate with Europe in an upcoming war with Israel and will behave in a most mean and violent fashion against his “brother” Jacob.

Hypocrisy in Israel?

ABC News wrote on June 14:

“Israel said Sunday it was deporting the son of American media magnate Shari Redstone for violating the country’s coronavirus quarantine rules while paying a secret visit to his model girlfriend.

“Israel’s Population and Immigration Authority said it had granted Brandon Korff an exceptional permit to enter the country on Friday to visit his brother, who is serving in the Israeli military….

“Israel banned entry to non-citizens or residents in March in an effort to clamp down on the spread of the novel coronavirus. Israel requires all individuals entering the country to remain in quarantine for two weeks following their arrival.

“Last week, Israel’s deputy director of the Health Ministry came under fire after an Israeli billionaire businessman was granted an exemption from the isolation orders. Teddy Sagi was then spotted attending a party with Israeli celebrities.”

Hypocrisy reigns.

Germany Commemorates Anne Frank’s Birthday “Amid Rising Antisemitism”

The Algemeiner wrote on June 13:

“Schools across Germany commemorated what would have been the 91st birthday on Friday of Anne Frank — the young German Jewish girl who kept a diary of her family’s time in hiding from the Nazis while in the Netherlands, where they were eventually captured and deported to the Auschwitz extermination camp

“Born on June 12, 1929, Anne Frank had just turned 15 when she was sent to Auschwitz, where she was forced to work as a slave laborer. Both Anne and her sister Margot were transferred to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in Germany in October 1944. Both women died during a typhus epidemic that swept through the camp only a few weeks before it was liberated by British soldiers on April 15, 1945.”

The house where Anne Frank hid from the Nazis can be visited as a museum in Amsterdam.

UK Won’t Ask for Brexit Extension

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 12:

“London ‘formally’ ruled out asking for an extension that would allow its representatives more time to reach a permanent deal with the EU on their post-Brexit relationship… European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic said the bloc was taking the UK’s extension decision ‘as a definitive one.’…”

The EU has responded that they will not push for an extension either. On Monday, June 15, 2020, both sides signed and issued a joint statement, saying, “The transition period will therefore end on 31 December 2020, in line with the provisions of the Withdrawal Agreement.”

Prepare for a No-Deal-Arrangement

The Guardian wrote on June 17:

“Germany is urging the EU to draw up contingency plans for Brexit ‘no deal 2.0’… The German government document, dated 15 June, reads: ‘… Britain is already escalating threats in Brussels, wants to settle as much as possible in the shortest possible time and hopes to achieve last-minute success in the negotiations…

“‘It is therefore important to preserve the unity of the 27 [and] to make it clear that there will be no agreement at any price…’”

The prophesied fate of the UK will be sealed soon.

Pope Francis Admonishes American Catholics

The Hawk Eye wrote on June 12:

“… the degree to which [Pope] Francis and the Vatican have seized on Floyd’s killing is unusual and suggests a coordinated messaging strategy aimed at a national church [in the USA] that Francis has long criticized for its political and ideological partisanship…

“Last week, Francis denounced the ‘sin of racism’ and twice identified Floyd as the victim of a ‘tragic’ killing… It was a clear effort to call out some conservative [American] Catholics for whom the abortion issue is paramount, while other ‘life’ issues dear to Francis — racism, immigration, the death penalty and poverty — play second fiddle at the ballot box….”

Maybe American Catholics see something which the Pope is unable or unwilling to recognize?

Pope Francis Lives in a Different World

Breitbart wrote on June 13:

“Pope Francis urged Christians Saturday to live in hope despite the many serious troubles and sorrows that plague our world. ‘Bad news fills the pages of newspapers, websites and television screens, to the point that evil seems to reign supreme. But that is not the case,’ the pope said…”

Really? In what world does the pope think he lives? This IS Satan’s world—not God’s—and therefore evil DOES reign supreme. This will CHANGE when Christ returns to establish the government of GOD on this earth.

Poland Wants to Fight LGBT Ideology

The Associated Press wrote on June 12:

Polish President Andrzej Duda… told his supporters that his parents’ generation did not struggle to cast off communism only to now accept ‘an ideology’ that he thinks ‘is even more destructive to the human being.’

“The president said that during Poland’s communist era, regimes ensured survival by indoctrinating the youngest generation. ‘That was Bolshevism. It was the ideologizing of children,’ he said. ‘Today, there are also attempts to push an ideology on us and our children, but different. It’s totally new, but it is also neo-Bolshevism.’ …

“Many conservative politicians in Poland say they are not against gay men and lesbians as individuals, but insist they oppose the goals of a civil rights movement they claim is imported from abroad and threatens to sexualize young people…”

Quite different from the USA. Note the next article.

US Supreme Court Sides with LGBT Community

The Associated Press wrote on June 15:

“The Supreme Court ruled Monday that a landmark civil rights law protects gay, lesbian and transgender people from discrimination in employment, a resounding victory for LGBT rights from a conservative court.

“The court decided by a 6-3 vote that a key provision of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 known as Title VII that bars job discrimination because of sex, among other reasons, encompasses bias against LGBT workers. ‘An employer who fires an individual for being homosexual or transgender fires that person for traits or actions it would not have questioned in members of a different sex,’ Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote for the court…

“Justices Samuel Alito, Brett Kavanaugh and Clarence Thomas dissented. ‘The Court tries to convince readers that it is merely enforcing the terms of the statute, but that is preposterous,’ Alito wrote in the dissent. ‘Even as understood today, the concept of discrimination because of “sex” is different from discrimination because of “sexual orientation” or “gender identity.”’

“Kavanaugh wrote in a separate dissent that the court was rewriting the law to include gender identity and sexual orientation, a job that belongs to Congress

“The cases were the court’s first on LGBT rights since Justice Anthony Kennedy’s retirement… Kennedy was a voice for gay rights and the author of the landmark ruling in 2015 that made same-sex marriage legal throughout the United States…”

LifeSiteNews wrote on June 15:

“The majority’s reasoning flies in the face of both the plain statutory meaning of ‘sex’ in 1964 and the clear legislative intent of the lawmakers who drafted and passed the Civil Rights Act, as explained by Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) senior counsel John Bursch. ‘There is little dispute that, in 1964, the term “sex” was publicly understood, as it is now, to mean biological sex: male and female,’ he writes…

“Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented, panning the majority opinion as ‘legislation’ written under the ‘deceptive’ guise of ‘interpreting a statute,’ reminding the majority that the court’s duty ‘is limited to saying what the law is’ rather than adding to it…

“Conservatives warn that today’s ruling will not merely protect homosexual or gender-confused Americans from tangible harm. Rather, it will require churches to recognize same-sex ‘marriages’; force photographers, florists, and bakers to participate in same-sex ‘weddings’; compel employers to fund drugs and surgeries to help people imitate members of the opposite sex; and make women and girls to share sleeping quarters, showers, changing areas, and restrooms with gender-confused males (or men simply claiming trans status to get close to vulnerable women)…

“Today’s ruling also largely relieves congressional Democrats of the need to enact the so-called Equality Act, a bill that would legislatively impose those same requirements on the country…”

The US Supreme Court has become more and more an institution that is heavily influenced by political considerations.

US Supreme Court’s DACA Decision

 AFP wrote on June 18:

“The high court said Trump’s 2017 move to cancel his predecessor Barack Obama’s landmark Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program was ‘arbitrary and capricious’ under government administrative procedures. The judgement on a five-to-four vote, with Chief Justice John Roberts siding with the court’s four liberal members, stressed that it was not an assessment of the correctness of the 2012 DACA program itself. Instead, they said the Trump administration had violated official government procedures in the way they sought to quickly rescind DACA in September 2017 based on weak legal justifications. The ruling suggested there are legal administrative methods Trump could cancel DACA, putting the onus back on the administration if it wants to pursue the issue.

McClatchy wrote:

“The DACA program allowed children who were brought to the United States illegally by their parents, called DREAMers, to avoid deportation. More than 700,000 people are part of the program, according to the Supreme Court ruling. Responding to the ruling, [Trump tweeted:] ‘These horrible & politically charged decisions coming out of the Supreme Court are shotgun blasts into the face of people that are proud to call themselves Republicans or Conservatives. We need more Justices or we will lose our 2nd. Amendment & everything else. Vote Trump 2020!’ Two minutes later, Trump tweeted, ‘Do you get the impression that the Supreme Court doesn’t like me?’”

The Associated Press wrote:

“The court’s four conservative justices dissented. Justice Clarence Thomas, joined by Justices Gorsuch and Samuel Alito, wrote that DACA was illegal from the moment it was created under the Obama administration in 2012. Thomas called the ruling ‘an effort to avoid a politically controversial but legally correct decision.’…”

Whatever position one wants to take on the issue, it is clear that this decision was also strictly a political rendering, since Congress had failed to enact comprehensive migration reform. 

Life Begins at Conception

LifeSiteNews wrote on June 10:

“States may inform women that life begins at conception before they go through with an abortion, a federal appeals court said this week… That information is included in the Missouri informed consent booklet, which abortion facilities must offer women prior to an abortion… ‘… a state is free to use “its voice … to show its profound respect for” life,’ the appeals court ruled, quoting a U.S. Supreme Court decision…

“Further, the appeals court said: ‘Roe v. Wade implies no limitation on the authority of a State to make a value judgment favoring childbirth over abortion.’

“Abortion activists often try to dismiss the fact that life begins at conception as a religious or moral belief, but it is based on science. Numerous medical textbooks, prominent scientists and even some abortion activists admit that life begins at conception and abortions kill human beings….

“34 states require informed consent counseling prior to an abortion, and 29 require that specific information be part of that counseling. Of the 34, 32 require that a woman be told the gestational age of her unborn baby, and 28 require information about the unborn baby’s development.”

A correct decision which must be applauded.

No More Shutdown in America

The Sun wrote on June 11:

“Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin… said Americans have ‘learned that if you shut down the economy, you’re going to create more damage

“‘Not just economic damage, but there are other areas and we’ve talked about this: medical problems and everything else that get put on hold. We can’t shut down the economy again.’”

If the USA imposes new restrictions, then civil unrest WILL BE the consequence.

Drones to Monitor Social Distancing and Face Masks in California?

Reuters wrote on June 12:

“Airspace Systems [a California company]… released new software for monitoring social distancing and face-mask wearing from the air.

“The software analyzes video streams captured by drones and can identify when people are standing close together or points where people gather in clusters. The software can detect when people are wearing masks… Airspace aims to sell the system to cities and police departments….

“Jay Stanley, a senior policy analyst with the American Civil Liberties Union’s Speech, Privacy and Technology Project, said… ‘Do we want to be in a world where machine security guards are watching our every move and blowing the whistle on every petty violation of every law, rule, statute or guideline?’ Stanley said. ‘That’s potentially a nightmare vision.’”

It sure is. When will this total nonsense stop????

“Lockdown Was Unnecessary, Claims German Virologist”

The Telegraph wrote on June 10:

“One of Germany’s most prominent virologists has said the country’s lockdown was unnecessary to defeat the coronavirus. ‘We went into lockdown too quickly…’ Prof Hendrik Streeck said.

“‘We are seeing a lot of… infections with no consequences…’”

Dr. Streeck made clear that he does not believe in a “second wave,” thereby contradicting Dr. Fauci (see article below). He also spoke out against the concept of wearing masks. In an interview with the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung, he pointed out that originally, warnings were issued AGAINST wearing masks. He stated that the same reasons still exist today even though they “seem to have no more relevance.”

Dr. Streeck stated that a person who had been infected with the coronavirus will have obtained immunity for up to two years. He added that if there was a rise in infections, the German government would be too afraid to issue the same restrictions as before. 

THAT, however, remains to be seen!

No More Friendly Relationship with North Korea

Daily Star wrote on June 12:

“North Korean leader Kim Jong un has no interest in maintaining a good relationship with US President Donald Trump… the despotic regime has announced it sees no improvement in relations and says US policies prove Trump’s administration remains a long-term threat to the secretive state and its people.”

NBC News wrote on June 13:

“North Korea officially declared an end Friday to its diplomatic alliance with the U.S… Kim never stopped building nuclear warheads and the missiles to deliver them…

“Now, on the second anniversary of that first Trump-Kim summit in Singapore, North Korea is renouncing the diplomacy while promising to expand its weapons program, even as experts say it is ever closer to perfecting a long-range missile capable of reaching and destroying an American city

“[The] government made clear that any agreement with Trump was now null and void…”

Bloomberg added on June 13:

“The sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said it is ‘high time’ to break relations with South Korean authorities, adding the next action against the ‘enemy’ will come from the army.”

North Korea will ultimately collaborate with Russia and China militarily and become part of the prophesied Far Eastern power bloc, called the “Kings of the East.” It remains to be seen what role South Korea will play.

Germany’s Travel Warnings

Deutsche Welle reported on June 16:

“The German government announced on Wednesday that it was extending travel warnings for over 160 countries outside of the EU, including Turkey, through the end of August. The travel warnings advise against ‘non-essential tourist travel’ due to the risks posed by the coronavirus.

“On Thursday, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas had said talks would take place with individual states to discuss the possibility of lifting restrictions sooner. Such decisions will depend on the number of infections, the strengthening of healthcare systems, and the health and hygiene measures implemented on flights to and from the country as well as on the ground, he said.”

The Associated Press reported that restrictions for tourists from the USA are not lifted at this point, and that details as to when that might happen are unclear.

 In addition, Deutsche Welle wrote on June 17:

“Germany will extend its ban on large events, including fairs, until at least the end of October, broadcaster n-tv has reported, citing a document readied for a meeting of Chancellor Angela Merkel and the premiers of the country’s 16 states…”

Germany’s Push for Coronavirus Warning App

The Guardian wrote on June 16:

“The German government has appealed to its citizens to download a newly available coronavirus warning app as it launched what it insisted was its most sophisticated tool yet for tackling the pandemic.

“The app… will alert users whether and for how long they have been in contact at a distance of 2 meters or less with someone who has tested positive for the virus.

“Contact data will… be saved… on the smart phones… Users have been assured their private data will not be compromised and neither will the app drain a phone’s battery.

“Use of the app, which cost €20m to develop, is voluntary but virologists say 60% of Germans must download it for it to become effective.

“Public health leaders, computer hackers and government ministers, all of whom had been involved in its development, introduced the app to the public in Berlin on Tuesday morning… It has been backed by a massive advertising campaign across broadcasters and on billboards involving leading DAX companies…

“The German app has an open source program code, meaning it can be potentially copied and updated by other countries… The next step, [Jens Spahn, the health minister], said, would be to build a system that would work across Europe. Currently, if a German user travels abroad, the app will not work….”

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 17:

“Germany’s smartphone app to help trace infections has been downloaded some 6.5 million times in the 24 hours since it was launched yesterday.”

Prophecies of Dr. Fauci

Bloomberg wrote on June 14:

“A lifting of the ban on travel to the U.S. from Great Britain could still be months away, and in a worst case may not come until a coronavirus vaccine is available, Dr. Anthony Fauci told a U.K. newspaper.

“[Dr. Fauci] made the comment in a wide-ranging interview with The Telegraph on Sunday, in which he also expressed hope that one or more of the vaccines now in development could be ready by the end of 2020 or early 2021…

“Fauci, a member of the now mostly mothballed White House coronavirus task force, continued to warn against a second wave of Covid-19 infections in the U.S…. ‘I would hope to get to some degree of real normality within a year or so. But I don’t think it’s this winter or fall,’ Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told the newspaper.”

Dr. Fauci has been terribly wrong before. Let’s hope he is wrong again, and that political leaders do not follow his recommendations.

Britain’s New Travel Advice

Express wrote on June 16:

“Though holidays are on hold for now, the government has issued updated travel advice for Britons who are jetting off in the future, or who need to travel for ‘essential’ purposes. Travellers are now being asked not to collect their own suitcases from the baggage belt at arrivals, and instead pay for a delivery service….

“… baggage delivery services often come with an added cost, and could mean travellers facing expensive fees to get their suitcases from the airport to their accommodation and back again…

“According to the government, passengers should avoid taking hand luggage into the cabin and should instead check items into the hold… However, the advice was rejected by Irish-airline Ryanair… [It] said passengers could, and in fact, should focus on taking hand luggage as this [is] actually safer…

“Ryanair has also tackled the government in recent weeks on its 14-day quarantine rule… Michael O’Leary, CEO of Ryanair, described the new rule as ‘ineffective’… Mr O’Leary believes the move is simply a ‘political stunt’ that threatens terrible consequences. ‘What it is going to do is bring untold devastation. Not just to the airlines but to British tourism and thousands of hotels,’ he stated.”

When the blind lead the blind…

A Socialist Perspective of Trump’s Withdrawal of Troops from Germany

WSWS wrote on June 13:

“The Trump administration’s announcement that 9,500 of the nearly 35,000 US soldiers stationed in Germany might be withdrawn… has been met with defiant criticism and calls for a more independent German-European military policy…

“Tobias Lindner, defence policy spokesman for the Greens… threatened that the US ‘should not be surprised’ if it ‘suddenly becomes very lonely internationally. …’ Lindner promoted the ‘long-term goal of a European army’ last year in a guest article for the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

“In the economic stimulus package passed last week by the grand coalition government of Christian Democrats and Social Democrats, 10 billion euros have been earmarked for the armament of the Bundeswehr

“In an angry commentary titled ‘Madness without method,’ the… editor of Die Zeit, Joseph Joffe, said the US would cut not only its ‘own flesh’ with a withdrawal of troops… the danger of war is growing…”

We have quoted from this article, published by the World Socialist Website, but have tried to stick to the facts, as reported, while ignoring the alleged anti-German “imperialist” polemic. But the facts do speak for themselves, which the next articles confirm.

Push for Tighter EU Defense amid US Tension

Bloomberg wrote on June 15:

“France and Germany are pushing for the European Union to boost its joint defense capabilities, adding to signs that the pandemic-induced crisis could lead the bloc to deeper integration. A policy paper… calls for ‘fostering the EU’s capacity to act as a security provider.’ The document… is also backed by Italy, Spain and other nations…

“The move comes during a particularly difficult period in the transatlantic relationship, and after a rocky few weeks when President Donald Trump was said to be mulling the removal of almost 10,000 U.S. troops from Germany, authorized sanctions against the International Criminal Court and again threatened to hit Europe’s auto industry with import tariffs

“… the Franco-German policy paper on defense is another example of the commitment of the EU’s two biggest economies to an ever closer union. Back in 2018, German Chancellor Angela Merkel joined French President Emmanuel Macron in calling for a ‘real, true European army.’ It seemed unrealistic at the time. But since then the U.K. has left the bloc and NATO’s weaknesses have become apparent, with Macron going as far as calling it ‘brain dead.’”

And so, a “real, true European army” will be established much sooner than many may think. In this light, please read the next article.

Trump Confirms Withdrawal of US Troops from Germany

BBC News wrote on June 15:

“US President Donald Trump has confirmed plans to withdraw 9,500 American troops from bases in Germany. He accused Germany of being ‘delinquent’ in its payments to Nato, and said he would stick with the plan unless Berlin changed its course…

“In formally acknowledging plans for a sizeable US troop cut-back in Germany… President Trump has taken a step that will deeply concern the German government and will also alarm many of Washington’s other Nato allies.

“The conventional view up to now, voiced by Germany’s ambassador to the US, Emily Harber, is that US troops were in Europe not so much to defend Germany, as to defend trans-Atlantic security.

“Analysts also point out that the sizeable US presence in Germany also affords the US an important transit and jumping off point for operations in the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere. Strategic experts see this as a step that can only benefit Russia and weaken Nato as a whole. And it’s a move that will be closely watched by Washington’s allies way beyond Europe, many of whom already see the Trump Administration as an unpredictable and increasingly unreliable partner at a time of growing great power competition.

“Speaking to reporters on Monday, he also accused Germany of treating the US ‘very badly on trade’… He also claimed that Germany was profiting from having the troops there because soldiers spent their money in the country….”

The Guardian wrote on June 17:

“The centre-right newspaper Die Welt, one outlet that has consistently criticised German governments’ reluctance to increase defence spending, described Trump’s plans as shortsighted and counterproductive.

“‘Trump’s partial withdrawal weakens Nato, it weakens America’s position in Europe and damages the relationship to its important if at times irritating ally Germany,’ the foreign affairs commentator Clemens Wergin wrote on Wednesday. ‘Trump is displaying the same strategic shortsightedness that he is rightly accusing the Germans of.’”

Trump even added that “until they pay, we’re removing a number of our soldiers, by about half.”

The withdrawal of US troops from “sleepy” Germany has been ongoing. “The U.S. troop strength in Germany has dwindled to about 34,500 from a peak of 274,000 during the 1960s,” according to Newsmax, dated June 15.

Rushing Developments of Vaccines

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 13:

“Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands signed an initial deal with pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca [working with the University of Oxford] for over 300 million doses of a promising coronavirus vaccine currently still in the experimental phase… Doses of the vaccine would be distributed to countries relative to their population as soon as it is ready, the ministry said, adding that all EU members can participate in the program. The vaccine is expected to be finished by the end of 2020…

“Italy’s health minister Robert Speranza… commented on the deal on Facebook, writing that as many as ‘400 million doses of the vaccine’ would be available ‘for the entire population of Europe.’ According to the World Bank, the population of the EU is around 447 million.

“The European Commission on Friday spoke out in favor of advance purchase contracts… As laboratories scramble to find a COVID-19 in record time—12 to 18 months instead of the standard multi-year timeline—advance payments provide for stronger investment in production.”

While vaccines are being rushed through, safety concerns will be ignored, and vaccine-producing companies are going to profit tremendously.

Deep-Seated Corruption within Big Pharma

Natural News wrote on June 12:

“New evidence has emerged to suggest that deep-seated corruption within the Big Pharma establishment is having a detrimental impact on the quality of information published by highly esteemed medical journals such as The Lancet and the New England Journal of Medicine…

“A leaked, closed-door discussion between the editors-in-chief of these two journals has revealed that the pharmaceutical industry is so massive and powerful that it can basically procure ‘science’ that says anything the industry wants it to, and often goes undetected…

“Big Pharma puts tremendous financial pressure on medical journals to publish studies that are favorable to its drugs and vaccines… the results of many studies that suggest drugs and vaccines are safe and effective could be flat-out false because the drug industry tweaked them to arrive at favorable conclusions when they otherwise would not have…

“There is really no telling how deep the rabbit hole goes in terms of Big Pharma corruption and criminal influence over what gets published in major medical journals…”

The article refers to the publication of a study that hydroxychloroquine was ineffective for treating covid-19. This study caused the WHO to stop testing the drug for effectiveness. It was found soon afterwards that the study was totally fraudulent and was meant to push a patented new expensive drug.

The Ron Paul Institute added on June 16:

Big pharma is thrilled today after the FDA has rescinded permission for the emergency use of hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of Covid-19. This after two ‘prestigious’ medical journals have recently been forced to withdraw publication of articles critical of the use of hydroxychloroquine.

“The trials cited by the FDA did not include the critical component zinc according to critics, and was thus doomed to fail. That leaves enormously expensive new drugs in trial and the elusive vaccine as the ‘only way’ to end the coronahysteria.”

On the other hand, according to UPI, dated June 5, British researchers found no benefit for hydroxychloroquine in the coronavirus. Nevertheless, this does not excuse the above-mentioned medical journals to intentionally disseminate what they thought to be false information to help the Big Pharma industry. 

Colorado Bill Would Require “Re-Education” Classes for Parents Who Refuse Coronavirus Vaccine

LifeNews wrote on June 9:

“Radicals just passed a bill through a committee in Colorado (20-14) to reduce available exemptions on vaccinations for school-age children. This bill offers ‘online education modules’ for parents who want a different vaccination schedule than what the state demands. Submitting a ‘certificate of completion’ from the re-education classes is one way to receive the state-sanctioned vaccine exemption.

“In addition, the bill forces all doctors and medical staff to give vaccinations with no exemptions, even if they are in a situation where they believe it would not be in that child’s best interest…

“The bill requires schools to publicly report what percentage of their students are vaccinated or exempted and gives schools explicit goals to reach—goals stipulating that five percent or less of students are to be exempt.

“Currently, New York, California, Mississippi, West Virginia, and Maine deny all vaccine exemptions based on religious belief. Legislators in Illinois are also pushing a bill to eliminate all religious exemptions…

“Making vaccines mandatory is a direct attack on our God-given, constitutionally protected religious liberty. And it is spreading across our nation far faster than the coronavirus!”

Locusts Return

Breaking Israel News reported on June 9:

“The swarms of locusts that covered Africa last year returned, pushing several nations into a food crisis… a new round of hatching could result in swarms that are 8,000 times larger than swarms earlier this year. The locusts normally live for three months but unseasonal rains have led to massive breeding and multiple generations, prolonging the season in which the locusts normally swarm. Erratic weather systems have aided the spread of the swarms.

“The current mega-swarm, the worst in many decades, originated in Yemen but now threatens 13 countries including Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, India, Uganda, Pakistan, and southern Iran. The infestation threatens the food security of some 40 million people, many of whom are already in danger of starvation.”

This locust plague is unparalleled in its dimension.

npr wrote on June 14:

“… when environmental conditions are right — usually when there’s a lot of rainfall and moisture… the creatures undergo a remarkable transformation…  Their brain changes, their coloration changes, their body size changes

“Right now, the most effective way to fight outbreaks involves mass aerial sprays of pesticides to kill locusts… that’s not ideal, given the adverse effect such chemicals have on biodiversity and human health.

This exemplifies again man’s inability to fight his problems.

The Fall of the Dollar

Bloomberg wrote on June 8:

“The era of the U.S. dollar’s ‘exorbitant privilege’ as the world’s primary reserve currency is coming to an end…U.S. living standards are about to be squeezed as never before…

“The coming collapse in the dollar will have… key implications… the fall of the almighty dollar will cast global economic leadership of a saving-short U.S. economy in a very harsh light…”

Business Insider wrote on June 16:

“The US dollar’s dominance faces major threats as the post-pandemic global economy emerges, Stephen Roach, former chairman at Morgan Stanley Asia, said Monday… its winning streak has faded in recent weeks as investors prepare for record borrowing to fund trillions of fiscal and monetary stimulus.

“A sinking national savings rate also stands to drag on the dollar… ‘These problems are going to go from bad to worse as we blow out the fiscal deficit in the years ahead’ [Roach said].”

The Euro is bound to become a more powerful currency than the dollar.

Removing “Gone with the Wind” a “No-Brainer”????

Breitbart wrote on June 12:

“WarnerMedia chairman Bob Greenblatt defended the decision to remove the American Civil War classic Gone With the Wind (1939) from HBO Max, describing the decision to do so as a ‘no-brainer.’

“HBO Max, which is owned by WarnerMedia, announced on Tuesday that they would be blacklisting the film, regarded by audiences and many critics as the greatest film of all time, on the grounds that it ‘depicts some of the ethnic and racial prejudices that have, unfortunately, been commonplace in American society.’

“… Greenblatt [added] that they would bring the film back once the network had provided a disclaimer about its content

“Justifying the decision, which was taken as a response to the wave of violent Black Lives Matter protests sweeping America and other parts of the world, an HBO spokesperson argued that such ‘racist depictions were wrong then and are wrong today…’

“HBO’s pandering to demands to blacklist the film has led to widespread criticism from viewers, many of whom responded by going out and buying the film, making it a best-seller on Amazon.

“The network’s decision to remove Gone With the Wind is all the more extraordinary given the performance of Hattie McDaniel, for which she won Best Supporting Actress Oscar of 1940. In doing so, she became the first black actor or actress to be nominated, let alone win, an Oscar category of any category.”

This is utter nonsense. All those who advocate and promote these radical concepts have become instruments and tools of Satan in his attempt to destroy the USA from the inside and the outside. Note the next mind-blowing articles.

Removing Confederate Monuments

npr wrote on June 8:

“On Monday, Alabama’s flagship state university took down memorials to Confederate soldiers. The University of Alabama removed plaques honoring students who served in the Confederate Army and student cadet corps… Earlier, two of Alabama’s largest cities – Birmingham and Mobile – took down Confederate monuments that were focal points for civil unrest…

“In Virginia, the state started work to remove a huge statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in Richmond, the state capital. And city leaders say they want to take down another four Confederate memorials along Monument Ave…

“Pressure is also mounting in Mississippi over the state flag. Adopted in 1894, the design incorporates the Confederate battle flag – a red background with a blue X lined with white stars…”

The Hill added on June 12:

“Congressional Democrats launched a new push this week to remove [11] Confederate statues from the Capitol grounds. Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for the removal Wednesday by saying the statues, donated by states, pay ‘homage to hate, not heritage.’”

Daily Press wrote on June 17:

“Demonstrators in Richmond tore down another Confederate statue in the city Tuesday night… The Howitzers Monument located near Virginia Commonwealth University’s Monroe Park campus was toppled…

“It’s the third Confederate statue, and the fourth monument, to be torn down by demonstrators in Virginia since international protests erupted… Statues of Confederate president Jefferson Davis (the civil war adversary to Abraham Lincoln, both from Kentucky) and Confederate Gen. Williams Carter Wickham as well as of Christopher Columbus were toppled by demonstrators in recent weeks…”

Breitbart wrote on June 17:

“A statue of 15th-century explorer Christopher Columbus and Queen Isabella will be removed from California’s Capitol Rotunda at the direction of top lawmakers… The marble statue, which has been in the Capitol for over 100 years, will be taken down after a monument of settler John Sutter was removed near the Sacramento hospital named after him.”

Others want to remove statues of George Washington and, in England, of Winston Churchill. In Portland, Oregon, protesters tore down the “racist” statue of Thomas Jefferson. It is clear that under the disguise of fighting against racism, a spirit of destruction and obliteration of history is sweeping English-speaking countries.

Tucker Carlson Speaks Out… Again

Breitbart wrote on June 12:

“Friday on Fox News Channel’s ‘Tucker Carlson Tonight,’ host Tucker Carlson… referenced 2017 remarks from CNN contributor Angela Rye, who at the time said all statues of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Robert E. Lee needed to come down. Carlson questioned, if successful, how that would improve quality of life for Americans…

“‘It’s about political power — political power achieved by the oldest means of all, force… a violent mob is forcing its agenda down the throat of our country. Our leaders… are too cowardly to resist them…’”

Coronavirus, Governmental Control and Violent “Protests” by the Radical Left

The Daily Mail published on June 14 the following article by Peter Hitchens:

“What we now face is regime change. That is why these strange crowds have begun to gather round ancient and forgotten monuments, demanding their removal and destruction… This is why the memorial to Winston Churchill [was] shamefully boarded up on Thursday night… This time, as ignorant armies seek the final abolition of Britain, it is very frightening…

“I had an instinctive fear of very bad things to come when the country began its mad, wild shutdown in March… And now we have the Dictatorship of Fear… The numbers of dead are grossly inflated by an incredibly lax recording system, which does not distinguish between those who died of Covid-19 and those who died of other things but may have been infected by it…

“It is as if some establishments, including our own, wanted a crisis and used their control of information to achieve one. And still it continues. As of tomorrow, in a symbolic moment never to be forgotten, users of trains and buses will be compelled to wear muzzles or forbidden to travel.

“The legal basis for this is highly doubtful. The medical basis for it is more doubtful still… I am fairly sure these measures, like the house arrest and sunbathing bans which came before, have another purpose. They accustom us to being told what to do

“Not only can the Government now tell us where we must live and when or if we can go out… It can now even tell us what to wear… formerly great institutions and forces – the church, Parliament, the police, the armed services, much of Fleet Street, the universities – submitted to it without so much as a sigh. So did what remained of our great industrial and commercial companies….

“They were discontented but not allowed to protest against the thing which was oppressing them, the shutdown, since from every quarter they were told it was justified. Almost any spark could have ignited this rich mixture. As it happens, it was the death in Minneapolis, a city most British people will never even see, of George Floyd. Seeing the surging crowds, the rioting and the looting in the USA, the British radical Left grew jealous.

“They imported the protest, converted it into outrage against some mouldering statues, and set the streets alight… They have already helped to make it very hard for traditional, normal, Christian conservative and patriotic opinions to be expressed at all. By using social media as a form of discipline, they have made everyone… fear them…

“For the past few weeks have also demonstrated that all the pillars of British freedom and civilisation are hollow and rotten… The Left are already in control of every lever of power and influence…”

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.

This Week in the News

The Germans Have Had It with Trump

Business Insider wrote on June 3:

“Intelligence and law-enforcement officials among America’s allies in Europe and the Middle East told Insider they were aghast at the heavy-handed tactics and rhetoric used by US police generally, and by the president specifically, to suppress demonstrations against police abuses of African Americans. ‘It has been chilling watching the United States devolve into the same strongman-style policing and rhetoric we have been opposing together as allies in the Middle East and Eastern Europe,’ a NATO military intelligence official… told Insider. [This] view is widely held. Some European officials have started to side openly with the protesters….

“Another senior law-enforcement official for a European Union member said the visuals of peaceful American protesters and media being repeatedly attacked by police and security forces over the past week has forced Europe into formally addressing a fear that has lurked behind the US-EU relationship for over three years: The US president is not an ally of European democracy…  The Germans are openly done with this president. This is why [German Chancellor] Angela Merkel refused Trump’s offer to host the G7 at the White House this fall…”

The relationship between the USA and Germany has never been as bad since the end of World War II.

“Democracy on the Defensive in Trump’s America”

Der Spiegel wrote on June 5:

“Coronavirus, economic collapse and now mass demonstrations for racial equality: The United States is facing a trio of deep crises. Instead of offering leadership, President Donald Trump is exacerbating divisions and showing authoritarian tendencies… Trump, it seems, needs the chaos. He feeds off it.

“Few other democratically elected leaders have as much power as the U.S. president, a reality that can lead to abuse… In his farewell address on January 11, 1989, Ronald Reagan spoke of a ‘shining city upon a hill,’ admired not only for its prosperity but for its richness in ideas, its goodness and cosmopolitanism…

“This notion of American exceptionalism also came up in Trump’s inauguration speech in January of 2017…  Three and a half years later, there are no signs of victory. The defeat in the war in Afghanistan, the longest in U.S. history, is now as good as certain. The war will soon have lasted 19 years and cost the lives of 2,400 U.S. soldiers and Trump is eager to withdraw from the country, though there is little doubt that the Taliban will take over in Kabul when he does, much like the Communists overran Saigon after the last GIs left Vietnam…”

Der Spiegel is the most popular magazine for Germany’s intellectuals. Their viewpoint on Trump is remarkable and shows Germany’s ongoing rejection of America’s leader.

Trump Withdraws US Troops from Germany

The Guardian wrote on June 5:

“Donald Trump has ordered the US military to remove nearly 9,500 troops from Germany in a move likely to raise concerns in Europe about the US commitment to the region. The move would reduce US troop numbers in Germany to 25,000, compared with the 34,500 currently there, a senior US official said.

“The official said the move was the result of months of work by America’s top military officer, General Mark Milley, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, and had nothing to do with tensions between Trump and the German chancellor, Angela Merkel…

“The move is the latest twist in relations between Berlin and Washington, which have often been strained during Trump’s presidency. Trump has pressed Germany to raise defence spending and accused Berlin of being a captive of Russia due to its energy reliance.

“About 17,000 US civilian employees support the US troops in Germany. It is believed the United States also has nuclear warheads there. In May, the then US ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, accused Berlin of undermining Nato’s nuclear deterrent, taking aim at Merkel’s junior coalition partners after some of their leaders called for nuclear disarmament.”

Few in Germany believe that America’s sudden announcement of withdrawal of American troops had nothing to do with Trump’s ongoing rift with Merkel.  Now, many in Germany are asking the question: Who is really undermining NATO? Note the next articles.

German Reactions—Purely Political and an Act of Revenge

Deutsche Welle added on June 6:

“Washington’s alleged plan to transfer about 9,500 troops out of its German bases is a symbolic gesture that is likely to weaken US military operations and ‘further deteriorate’ trans-Atlantic ties, conservative lawmaker Andreas Nick told DW on Saturday… ‘the decision is purely politically motivated and not made by experts,’ he said.

“… the ties between Berlin and Washington have been deteriorating steadily over geopolitical, financial, and environmental issues since Donald Trump took office in January 2017…

“On Saturday, senior German conservative Johann Wadephul said the withdrawal of troops would be yet another wake-up call for Europeans to take their fate in their own hands. ‘The plans show once again that the Trump administration is disregarding an elementary task of leadership: the involvement of allies in the decision-making process,’ said Wadephul,  who serves as the deputy head of the parliamentary group for Angela Merkel’s  CDU party…”

The Guardian added on June 6:

“Norbert Röttgen, one of the CDU politicians in the running to succeed Merkel as chancellor when she steps down next year, criticised the plans. ‘Such a withdrawal would be regrettable from every point of view… ‘I cannot see a rational ground for such a withdrawal.’”

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 7:

“‘This would break transatlantic bridges,’ exclaimed Peter Beyer, coordinator for transatlantic relations for the government of Chancellor Angela Merkel. ‘It’s not just about 9,500 soldiers, but also their families, an estimated 20,000 Americans,’ Beyer [said].”

The Local wrote on June 7:

“German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said… the transatlantic relationship had become ‘complicated’ under Trump…

“Rolf Muetzenich, leader of the parliamentary group of the centre-left SPD, Merkel’s junior coalition partner, told the Funke newspaper group that the US plan could lead to ‘a lasting realignment of security policy in Europe’.

“Former US Army Europe commander Ben Hodges… said a US drawdown would be ‘a colossal mistake’ and ‘a gift’ for Russian President Vladimir Putin… The headquarters for US forces in Europe and Africa are both based in Stuttgart, while the US air base in Ramstein plays a major role in transporting soldiers and equipment to Iraq and Afghanistan. The US military hospital in Landstuhl, near Ramstein, is the largest of its kind outside the United States.”

Breitbart wrote on June 8:

“Germany’s special coordinator for Transatlantic ties… Peter Beyer told the Rheinische Post the White House left Germany in the dark before reports of the decision began to emerge… ‘This is completely unacceptable, especially since nobody in Washington thought about informing its NATO ally Germany in advance,’ Beyer, a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives, told the newspaper.”

The Algemeiner wrote on June 8:

“Thomas Kleine-Brockhoff, vice president at the German Marshall Fund of the United States which promotes US-European ties, said the decision ‘does smack a bit like revenge.’ ‘I’ve followed this relationship for the last 35 years of my professional life — I cannot remember a lower point of the relationship than this… Donald Trump seems to see Angela Merkel, not anybody else, as his systemic rival.’”

The relationship between the USA and Germany (Europe’s leader) is incurably damaged. It will get worse and worse to the point of an outright WAR.

Travel Restrictions to Be Lifted?… Not Really!

The Associated Press wrote on June 5:

“All but essential travel into Europe from the outside is restricted until June 15, but many ministers suggested Friday that they want this deadline extended until early July…

“German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, whose country plans to lift its remaining border checks on June 15 like many other EU countries, said ‘the internal border controls will be over in all of Europe at the end of June.’…

“Visitors from the United States, Russia or Brazil… would only be allowed back into Europe based on how those nations have brought the spread of the virus under control, he said…”

It was subsequently announced by the EU that Europeans would not be able to travel to the United States until the end of August. We pray that this ridiculous restriction will be abandoned as soon as possible. The antagonism between Europe and the USA can even be seen in the mutual travel bans between these two power blocs (with Russia and Brazil being added for appearance’s sake, to make this scheme less obvious). Again, Satan wants to prevent God’s people from the USA from traveling to Germany or Europe to keep the Feast of Tabernacles there.

Supporting WHO?

Breaking Israel News wrote on June 5:

“President Trump removed US funding from the World Health Organization (WHO). Many people criticized the decision but a closer look shows that not only is the WHO incompetent at performing the function for which it was created but it has side agendas that are shocking indeed…

“The WHO Collaborating Centre for Sexual and Reproductive Health, established in 2003 at the German Federal Centre for Health Education (BZgA) focused on establishing standards for sexuality education, providing guidance for implementation and support [for] the implementation of training programs for educators. The program has been translated into several languages and used internationally… It has been used in at least 14 countries to develop or adapt curricula for sexuality education and/or for advocacy towards decision-makers.

“The WHO curriculum suggests that children ages four to six, be given information ‘about friendship and love towards people of the same sex’ and ‘same-sex relationships’ (i.e. homosexuality), and be guided to develop ‘an open, non-judgmental attitude.’ As per this program, children under the age of four are introduced to masturbation including ‘playing doctor’ (i.e. sexual activity with another person of unspecified age)…

“The WHO also removes the authority of the parents in such matters, establishing its standards as superseding those… In 2018, Andrew MacLeod, the former chief of operations at the UN’s Emergency Co-ordination Center claimed that an estimated 60,000 cases of sexual exploitation had been committed over the last decade by 3,300 pedophiles working in the organization.

“‘Child rape crimes are being inadvertently funded, in part, by United Kingdom tax-payers,’ he said in an interview with British tabloid The Sun. At the same time, UN Secretary-General António Guterres admitted that the UN had ‘wrestled for many years with the issue of sexual exploitation and abuse,’ as reported by the British newspaper The Times. In early 2017 the United Nations Secretary-General admitted to 145 incidents involving 311 victims in 2016 alone, mainly in peace operations….”

The WHO’s recommendation of teaching our children “sexuality education” in school—even against the wishes of their parents—is an abomination in the eyes of God. The consequential incidents of sexual abuse of children within the organization speak for themselves.  

Russia and China vs. the USA

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on June 4:

“Russian hopes dashed: Whatever hopes Russian President Vladimir Putin may have had for a more workable relationship with the Trump administration have been ‘trumpled,’ so to speak. This came through loudly and clearly in acerbic remarks by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov… Ryabkov lamented the sad state of Russia-US relations, while pointing, not very subtly, to China as Russia’s ace in the hole…

“‘We don’t believe the US in its current shape is a counterpart that is reliable, so we have no confidence, no trust whatsoever. So our own calculations and conclusions are less related to what America is doing… we cherish our close and friendly relations with China. We do regard this as a comprehensive strategic partnership in different areas, and we intend to develop it further’…”

It is prophesied that China and Russia and other Far Eastern countries will combine their efforts and forces. They are referred to in the Bible as the “kings from the East.”

Russia Threatens with Nuclear War

Breaking Israel News wrote on June 7:

On Tuesday, President Vladimir Putin signed into effect a new Russian military doctrine, allowing him to order a nuclear weapons strike in response to an attack using conventional weapons.

“The new rules also allow the Russian military to use its nuclear weapons if it gets ‘reliable information’ about the launch of ballistic missiles targeting its territory or its allies. As per the longstanding policy, the president can order a retaliatory nuclear strike in response to an attack using nuclear weapons…”

A nuclear war will break out between Russia with their far Eastern allies and the European power bloc under German leadership.

Special Relationship between USA and UK to End Soon?

The Guardian wrote on June 8:

“The UK’s special relationship with the US may end…

“Rory Stewart, the former Conservative international development secretary, said in one assessment: ‘… If we were to move away from the US, and Trump obviously poses the challenge that that may have to happen, we are going to find ourselves in a situation in which much of our Foreign Office infrastructure had been predicated on working very closely with the US for a very long time… it will involve a much bigger shift in national security infrastructure than we have ever experienced. Almost since Suez, they have been our default.’…

“Sir John Sawers, the former head of M16 and a former UK ambassador to the UN… said… ‘There is no doubt President Trump is the most difficult president for us to deal with… He does not really feel that sense of being part of that transatlantic community, he does not really believe in alliances… We are seeing in this pandemic for the first time what a crisis is like without American leadership…’

“Many senior former UK ambassadors are desperately hoping Washington will lead again. One said: ‘… If we get another four years of this leadership, then some of the bonds and some of the cement that holds the west together, and holds Europe and America together will be broken forever…’”

The Bible indicates that the special relationship between the USA and the UK will indeed end soon… but only after important prophetic events have been fulfilled.

Trump No Friend of Israel?

Times of Israel wrote on June 5:

“Jerusalem and Heritage Minister Rafi Peretz said Friday that he would oppose parts of the Trump administration’s Israeli-Palestinian peace plan amid a growing chorus of right-wing opposition to the Palestinian state outlined in the plan… Peretz, who heads the right-wing Jewish Home faction, in a Facebook post said he would not accept the establishment of a Palestinian state, which is included in the outline…

“Some politicians and top settler leaders have publicly come out against the US plan in recent days, led by Jordan Valley Regional Council head David Elhayani, who told the Haaretz daily on Wednesday that Trump and his senior adviser Jared Kushner have shown through their peace proposal that ‘they are not friends of the State of Israel.’… If Trump wants to establish a Palestinian state near the heart of Israel, between Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea, he said, addressing the US president, ‘then you are not a friend.’ Such a state, he stressed, ‘is a danger to Israel.’…

“The comments drew harsh rebuke from Netanyahu and other right-wing leaders. However, Elhayani… rebuffed accusations that he was being ungrateful to Washington as it offers to recognize Israeli sovereignty, [saying] he was concerned not just for the safety of settlements in the Jordan Valley and other areas of the West Bank, but for the safety of all of Israel’s citizens….”

Even though the almost universal movement against Israel’s planned annexation is growing stronger, Trump and Kushner would lose face and all credibility, if they were not to “allow” Israel to go forward with the annexation. The same could be said about Netanyahu who, after promising annexation by July 1, could not really afford not to go ahead with the annexation, as his political survival is on the line.

“Suddenly, Public Health Officials Say Social Justice Matters More Than Social Distance”

Politico wrote on June 4:

“For months, public health experts have urged Americans to take every precaution to stop the spread of Covid-19—stay at home, steer clear of friends and extended family, and absolutely avoid large gatherings. Now some of those experts are broadcasting a new message: It’s time to get out of the house and join the mass protests against racism…

“It’s a message echoed by media outlets and some of the most prominent public health experts in America, like former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Tom Frieden, who loudly warned against efforts to rush reopening but is now supportive of mass protests…

“But their messages are also confounding to many who spent the spring strictly isolated on the advice of health officials, only to hear that the need might not be so absolute after all. It’s particularly nettlesome to conservative skeptics of the all-or-nothing approach to lockdown, who point out that many of those same public health experts… widely criticized activists who held largely outdoor protests against lockdowns in April and May, accusing demonstrators of posing a public health danger.

“Conservatives, who felt their own concerns about long-term economic damage or even mental health costs of lockdown were brushed aside just days or weeks ago, are increasingly asking whether these public health experts are letting their politics sway their health care recommendations

“Those protests against stay-at-home orders ‘not only oppose public health interventions, but are also rooted in white nationalism and run contrary to respect for Black lives,’ according to the letter’s nearly 1,300 signatories. ‘Protests against systemic racism, which fosters the disproportionate burden of COVID-19 on Black communities and also perpetuates police violence, must be supported.’…”

This is SO ridiculously mind-boggling, offensive and utterly hypocritical.

Violence Breeds Violence

The Guardian wrote on June 6:

“The nationwide anti-police brutality protests sparked by the killing of George Floyd in the US have been marked by widespread incidents of police violence, including punching, kicking, gassing, pepper-spraying and driving vehicles at often peaceful protesters in states across the country. The actions have left thousands of protesters in jail and injured many others, leaving some with life-threatening injuries.

“From Minnesota to New York, Texas, California, Washington DC and many places beyond, from small towns to big cities, police officers have demonstrated just how problematic law enforcement is in the US, drawing condemnation from international groups as well as domestic civil rights organizations…

“Numerous incidents of police violence have been exposed in disturbing videos and press accounts in recent days… At [a] New York protest, an officer yanked a facemask from an African American man who was standing with his hands in the air, then pepper-sprayed him into the face.

“In Buffalo… two officers shoved a 75-year-old man to the ground. A video showed the man hitting his head on the ground, causing his blood to spill on the sidewalk. He is now gravely ill in hospital…

“On Thursday, a video posted to Twitter showed a group of police beating peaceful protesters in Philadelphia… In one incident police shot paint canisters at a woman who was standing on the porch of her own home…

“On the west coast, a police car drove into protestors in Los Angeles, briefly trapping them underneath the engine, and police used teargas to dispel a demonstration in Santa Monica. In Los Angeles, as in other cities in the US, police have also repeatedly fired rubber bullets at protesters…

“Even medical workers have not been immune… Among those abused in Washington DC were a pair of Australian journalists, who were reporting on a protest… Frequently journalists have been met with the same aggressive policing as demonstrators…”

A newsletter of the LA Times added on June 6:

“Among overwhelmingly peaceful demonstrations, there was also violence and some looting. Some business owners criticized police for failing to protect their businesses…”

On the other hand, there were quite a few reported incidents when police officers sided with demonstrators, embraced them, engaged with them in minutes of silence, took a knee in front of them, and even marched with them.

In addition, left-wing radicals and groups such as Antifa have been blamed for resorting to violence and to kidnap and hijack peaceful demonstrations to follow their evil agenda. But as the next article shows, the same goes for right-wing radicals (It reminds us of events in Germany after World War I, when left- and right-wing extremists were fighting for dominance):

Extremists Try to Hijack Peaceful Protests

The Times of Israel wrote on June 6:

“There are men showing up to the George Floyd protests in body armor and Hawaiian shirts and they want to start a civil war. They call themselves the Boogaloo Bois. This isn’t a joke, but a very real network of anti-government extremists who want to leverage the protests to incite a wider uprising against police, the army and the state. Last week, three of them were arrested by the FBI for conspiracy to destroy federal and private property.

“The arrests are the most visible example so far of the Boogaloo network, whose armed adherents yearn for a second civil war between ordinary Americans and a federal government they consider oppressive…. Boogaloo Bois who have shown up at protests against police brutality are often sympathetic with the Black Lives Matter movement because the Boogaloo extremists hate the police.”

In addition, the article shows that the demarcation line between right and left extremists might be confusing. It points out:

“… white supremacist activity has been uncovered during some of the protests during the past two weeks. Members of the white nationalist group VDARE posed as reporters for the publication Vice and tried to get anti-racist demonstrators to publicly identify themselves… NBC reported that a Twitter account posing as part of the anti-fascist Antifa network was actually run by a white nationalist group called the American Identity Movement.”

White House Fenced In and Heavily Fortified

The Week wrote on June 5:

“… the White House has been transformed into a veritable fortress… with tall security fencing and concrete barriers erected to keep protesters from an expanded secure zone… Armed guards and sharpshooters and combat troops are omnipresent… the new fencing stretches about 1.7 miles around the White House.

“The White House is now so heavily fortified that it resembles the monarchical palaces or authoritarian compounds of regimes in faraway lands — strikingly incongruous with the historic role of the executive mansion… known as ‘the People’s House’…”

The picture presented to the world of the USA as being in turmoil and the White House as a helpless fortified and barricaded “palace” under siege is unheard of and extremely damaging to America’s reputation (whatever is still left of it).   

George Floyd Looking Down From Heaven Rejoicing over Job Reports???

The Guardian wrote on June 5:

“The president attempted to take a victory lap after a better-than-expected jobs report showed the national unemployment rate falling to 13.3% last month, with 2.5m jobs gained… Trump declared: ‘Today is probably, if you think of it, the greatest comeback in American history.’… Trump suggested that Floyd… would be happy about the figures… ‘Hopefully George is looking down right now and saying this [is] a great thing that’s happening for our country,’ he said. ‘There’s a great day for him… There’s a great, great day in terms of equality.’”

“The comment earned swift opprobrium… Michael Steele, who is African American, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee, told the MSNBC network: ‘It’s not only tone deaf, it’s borderline blasphemous in light of what happened to Mr Floyd… Again, it speaks to just how out of step this man [Trump] is with real life. This reality television presidency is incompatible with democracy, it’s incompatible with governing, it’s incompatible with everyday people trying to realise the American dream.’

“Defenders of Trump argued that he was being willfully misconstrued… [and] that his remark was taken ‘out of context’ [pointing out that Trump was emphasizing “equality”].

“The surprise increase in jobs came after economists had predicted a rise in unemployment to 20% as America reels from the coronavirus pandemic and nationwide lockdowns. But the new rate of 13.3% is still far higher than previous peak unemployment, which was 10.8% in 1982… Most of the 2.5m jobs gained over the month were in hospitality and leisure, an industry that lost 7.5m jobs in April as states went into quarantine…

“Although the unemployment rate for white people decreased from 14.2% to 12.4%, the rate for African Americans went up from 16.7% to 16.8%…”

Apart from the ill-received attempt to connect the “better-than-expected” job reports with the death of George Floyd—whether taken out of context or not—the very notion that Floyd is looking down from heaven is ridiculous and unbiblical. The Bible (which Trump had in his hand during his recent photo-op in front of the St. John’s Episcopal Church), teaches that people, when they die, are dead in their graves, without conscience; that they are not in heaven (or hell); and that God will resurrect them from the dead in their due time, which has not occurred yet for ANYONE—with the only exception of Jesus Christ, the “firstborn” from the dead.

Vatican Archbishop Praises Trump

Newsmax wrote on June 7:

“Influential Vatican Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, the former Papal Nuncio to Washington, D.C., has written to President Trump, praising his leadership during a critical juncture in his presidency as he faces harsh criticism for his handling of the coronavirus and the George Floyd protests… Viganò writes that the President’s enemy is ‘the children of darkness – whom we may easily identify with the deep state which you wisely oppose and which is fiercely waging war against you in these days . . .’

“The Archbishop indicated that the ‘Covid emergency’ will likely be viewed in the future as a ‘colossal operation of social engineering.’ ‘We will also discover that the riots in these days were provoked by those who, seeing that the virus is inevitably fading and that the social alarm of the pandemic is waning, necessarily have had to provoke civil disturbances, because they would be followed by repression which, although legitimate, could be condemned as an unjustified aggression against the population,’ Viganò wrote. The Archbishop claimed that ‘the same thing is also happening in Europe, in perfect synchrony.’”

Even though some of his statements are remarkable and note-worthy, especially regarding the coronavirus and the civil disturbance, he constitutes a lone voice, as most Catholic priests and bishops reject Trump’s leadership. And so does the Pope.

Face Masks—the Criminal’s Best Friend

The Ron Paul Institute reprinted the following article on June 5 which appeared first in the Washington Times:

“America’s youth have taken to the streets in Santa Monica, in Minneapolis, in Los Angeles, in New York City, in Washington, D.C., and more, in protest of the horrible police killing of George Floyd, and they’re setting fires, burning businesses — burning St. John’s Church, the historic place of worship for American presidents — looting stores, smashing glass, tossing Molotov cocktails and fighting police.

“And they’re doing it with the aid and assistance of mandated, recommended or acceptably worn facial coverings. A face mask is a looter’s equivalent of a lucky day. Thanks be to the coronavirus crisis: Every criminal, would-be criminal and aider and abettor to a criminal can carry out his or her criminal act in broad daylight, in bold openness, in brash disregard for law and order, all while disguising identity.

“Oh what happy times COVID-19 and the government’s random, unscientific, politically motivated and factually questionable response to the virus has been for Antifa and Antifa’s thuggish types. Most cities, counties and communities have local safety provisions in place that make it illegal to wear facial coverings and hoods with intent to disguise — and if not prohibited by ordinances, the locals at least frown on the full-face coverings, making it odd and suspicious to see them worn in public…

“Now ‘cover thy face’ has become national policy… Many, if not most [criminals] will walk away scot-free, laughing into their face masks, confident the local cameras and locals in the area can’t identify them. And just think: If these face masks become part of America’s ‘new normal’ — so will the anonymous crimes. Face masks aren’t just a hindrance and a virtue signal of supposed COVID-19 concern for others. They’re cover for criminals. They’re a criminal’s new best friend.”

Very true as it convincingly describes the nonsense and the DANGER of having to wear face masks.

Defunding the Police?

Newsmax wrote on June 8:

“President Donald Trump early Monday tweeted a call to oppose defunding police departments in the wake of the death of a black man in Minneapolis police custody. ‘LAW & ORDER, NOT DEFUND AND ABOLISH THE POLICE,’ Trump tweeted Monday. ‘The Radical Left Democrats have gone Crazy!’…

“The demand to defund police gained traction in Minneapolis  Sunday, when a veto-proof majority of the City Council pledged to ‘begin the process’ of dismantling its police force. Council members… said they didn’t have immediate plans for what would replace the force but would consult with the community on a new structure for public safety…

“Voters nationwide said by a 2-to-1 margin that they are more concerned by police actions in Floyd’s death than violence at some protests… 57% of Americans believe police generally treat white people better than black people. The public disapproved of Trump’s handling of the protests and the events surrounding Floyd’s killing by an 11-point margin…

“Almost two-thirds of Americans oppose cutting… police funding and just 16% of Democrats and 15% of Republicans support the idea…”

Trump a Long Way from Beaten

The Guardian wrote on June 6:

“Voter disapproval of Donald Trump’s handling of the George Floyd protests and the Covid-19 pandemic, plus the accompanying economic meltdown, have undoubtedly hurt the president’s re-election chances. But it’s unclear whether the damage is fatal…

“Things are looking bad for Trump right now… Yet Trump has been written off before… One thing is certain: he’s a long way from beaten.”

Indeed. And that is true even though from a human standpoint, it does not appear that, mainly due to his perceived lack of competent leadership, Trump would be reelected. But note the next article which discusses his modus operandi over the years.

Why Trump Will Stay in Power…

The Daily Mail wrote on June 5:

“After the anarchic and deeply troubling scenes of recent days, many will surely conclude that, in overwhelming numbers, the American people will kick Donald Trump out of the White House in November’s election… Our country is in flames… Twelve major cities have declared curfews, 17,000 troops have been activated, governors in at least 24 states called in the National Guard and more than 11,000 people have been arrested…

“Millions of people have lost their jobs already, and millions more are expected to join them in a recession – even a depression – following the pandemic. Little wonder that many of Trump’s most ardent supporters are subdued on the subject of ‘four more years’.

“But I have studied Trump for 32 years, having first met him in 1988 when I investigated his casino operations in Atlantic City and uncovered his friendships with the Mafia. I know the man, his motivations and his modus operandi well. Let me tell you that it would be a huge mistake to assume he has lost the 2020 election. In fact, there are many reasons to believe that what is happening now will deliver him that second term.

“Critical as I have long been of him, I’ve always admired his ability to convince millions of people that he is a modern Midas, a ‘very stable genius’, to use his own phrase — and the only person who can save America. That these claims are nonsense doesn’t matter as long as enough people believe them. Despite his many flaws, Trump is remarkably resilient.

“To retain the White House, he faces three challenges.

“First, he must persuade Americans that China is responsible for the coronavirus deaths, and feckless state governors and local mayors — rather than his own chaotic administration — mishandled the pandemic. If fatalities, as expected, are falling after the summer, he will benefit. Should a reliable treatment have emerged by then, this will help further.

“Second… Trump will claim it was his tough law-and-order policies that crushed the violence that erupted after Mr Floyd’s death…

“His third challenge is the economy. This is the easiest one for him. Even with more than a quarter of American workers on jobless benefits — and after a slightly uptick in employment numbers yesterday — Trump can argue the fastest way to revive the economy is to cut taxes further and jettison yet more business regulations. Most of the big corporations don’t want the Democrats back in power, with the prospect of higher taxes and more red tape…

“Meeting these challenges is achievable. And it is of a pattern with a man whose life has been characterised by turning setbacks that would destroy the careers and reputations of anyone else into triumphs. Trump never admits error. His late mentor, the notorious political fixer and mafia consigliere Roy Cohn (who was disbarred as a lawyer for trying to defraud his own client), taught him to attack law enforcement and make them the bad guys. Whenever a judge rules against him, Trump calls the jurist a bigot, an idiot, corrupt or a ‘hater’…

“All his life, Trump has always enjoyed stunning success in damage avoidance, and not only when he cheats on his wives. He dodged any fallout in the 1980s when both his personal helicopter pilot and the provider of his fleet of casino aircraft, were caught running an international drug-trafficking ring. Trump continued to employ the pilot after he had been indicted, later urging the judge to impose a lenient sentence.

“Three decades ago, his lawyers negotiated an extraordinary private settlement in which his empire shed a total $3 billion debt — over $800 million of which he had personally guaranteed — without being forced, as he would normally be expected to, to declare personal bankruptcy. That was followed by four corporate bankruptcies when he was CEO of a casino company — even as it paid him at least $83 million.

“Finally, in Trump’s favour, there is the peculiar way American presidents are elected. Trump is the fourth president out of 45 who lost the popular vote — the total number of votes cast nationally — but won the White House anyway. Presidents are voted in not by the citizens of the country as a whole, but by ‘electors’ in each state, through a process called the Electoral College… Unfortunately, the arrangement does not work perfectly, which is why a man like Trump… win office even when most Americans do not want him there…The lesson for November’s election is clear. Don’t — for a single moment — write him off.”

A truly damaging and eye-opening article (even though it does not contain that many surprising revelations for those who have carefully followed objectively the news and developments surrounding Trump). We have even omitted some of the author’s dicey comments. But the author is correct in his conclusions: Trump WILL stay in power but NOT because God is approving of his conduct and politics.

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.

This Week in the News

No-Deal Brexit Inevitable?

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 4:

“If no progress is made this month, a no-deal Brexit looks inevitable. Is it possible that’s because of, rather than in spite of, the coronavirus crisis?…

 “… a ‘no-deal Brexit’ perpetually loomed as a distinct and disastrous possibility. A one-year transition period up until December 31 meant that 2020 was to be the year in which the truly hard yards were finally walked…

 “Then, as if by the design of some demonic deity… the worst global pandemic in a century struck. It has hit the EU and Britain especially hard… the no-deal scenario is back, except this time in a more permanent form…

 “Even before it hit, optimism was extremely low on the EU side that anything substantial could be agreed with the UK in such a short timeframe… If the British don’t request an extension to the transition period by the end of this month — and, if as appears to be inevitable at this point, no free trade agreement is in place by the end of the year — then on December 31, 2020, the UK will no longer have any formal trading relationship with the EU. Under WTO rules, it will become a so-called ‘third country.’…

 “COVID-19 has restricted the negotiations in terms of physical movement but also mental movement. The crisis has commanded vast amounts of attention and resources that otherwise might have been directed towards the EU-UK talks.”

The above-quoted wording is interesting: “… by the design of some demonic deity.” But it would be worded better as, “by Satan’s design.” Why? Because we are experiencing Satan’s wrath against Britain and the USA, as well as Israel. Please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Satan’s Wrath Against Britain.”  

Violent Riots in America

AFP wrote on June 1:

US President Donald Trump on Monday said he was deploying thousands of ‘heavily armed’ soldiers and police to prevent further protests in Washington, where buildings and monuments have been vandalized near the White House… He denounced ‘acts of domestic terror’ after nationwide protests against the death of an unarmed African American George Floyd in police custody devolved into days of violent race riots across the country… He also called on state governors to ‘deploy the National Guard in sufficient numbers that we dominate the streets’…

“One week after Floyd died in Minneapolis, an autopsy blamed his videotaped death squarely on a white police officer who pinned him down by the neck with his knee for nearly nine minutes as Floyd pleaded, ‘I can’t breathe!’ ‘The evidence is consistent with mechanical asphyxia as the cause of death, and homicide as the manner of death,’ Aleccia Wilson, a University of Michigan expert who examined his body at the family’s request, told a news conference.

“The unrest has been the most widespread in the United States since 1968, when cities went up in flames over the slaying of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr., and rekindled memories of 1992 riots in Los Angeles after police were acquitted in the brutal beating of black motorist Rodney King.”

However, riots in 1992 were mainly limited to Los Angeles, and lasted for a few days. These riots have lasted for way over a week and are being carried out throughout the USA.

NBC News added on June 1:

“To activate the military [as he threatened to do, “if necessary”] to operate in the U.S., Trump would have to invoke the… Insurrection Act [which was] adopted in 1807… Trump’s remarks came hours after he urged the nation’s governors to get ‘tough’ with unruly demonstrators. ‘Most of you are weak,’ he told them… ‘You have to dominate. If you don’t dominate, you’re wasting your time, they’re gonna run over you, you’re gonna look like a bunch of jerks,’ the president said.”

Newsmax wrote on June 1:

“The Insurrection Act… was last invoked by President George H.W. Bush in 1992 during the Los Angeles Rodney King riots at the request of California Gov. Pete Wilson. U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley has said the National Guard was… not an ‘occupying force.’ But Trump said, ‘I must tell you, it got so bad a few nights ago, the people wouldn’t have minded an occupying force, I wish we had an occupying force in there.’”

The Insurrection Act has been invoked by numerous presidents. John F. Kennedy invoked it twice. But as could be expected, the negative reaction from the left-wing media (CNN, MSNBC) and Democratic governors and senators was fierce.

The Huffington Post wrote on June 1: “Tyranny! Trump Declares War on Americans.” Deutsche Welle added on June 1 that “several US state governors have come out against Trump’s threat to deploy the armed forces to quell nationwide protests… [Also,] people within the administration are concerned that Trump’s inability to strike the right tone to unite the nation may hurt his reelection chances…”

Trump can activate the military without the consent of the governors. At least three states being led by Democrats — New York, Virginia and Delaware — have so far rejected Trump’s request. Reports have surfaced, however, that Trump was never really serious about invoking the Insurrection Act, and that his threats were just a political stunt. We will see.

In any event, as we have been predicting all along, Trump will be reelected (as he has a preordained role  to fulfill in helping to build the Third Temple, in furthering the alienation with Europe, and in bringing about the total downfall of the USA), and we have also been declaring that this country will face violent divisions and civil unrest. This has certainly come to pass.

Trump Under Attack

CNN wrote on June 1:

“Trump himself was angered by coverage depicting him holed up in an underground bunker. He told aides on Monday he wanted to be seen outside the White House gates… which is part of what drove the decision to stage the photo-op at St. John’s Church.

“Trump and his family were rushed to an underground bunker on the White House complex as protests raged outside the building on Friday evening. Trump wasn’t seen on Sunday and spent most of Monday behind closed doors — leading to concern even from his allies that he was absent at a moment of national crisis.

“Many of the President’s traditional defenders — from campaign donors to Republicans on Capitol Hill to some in the conservative media — privately grumbled that Trump allowed several days to pass without addressing the nation or making any formal appeals for unity…

“A growing number of congressional Republicans, even Trump’s allies, also privately said the ‘caps lock’ tweets about tamping down protests using harsh tactics were not helping the situation. Republican Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina said on ‘Fox News Sunday’ that he had spoken to Trump over the weekend about his inflammatory tweets, which he described as ‘not constructive.’”

Fox News moderator Tucker Carlson also criticized Trump heavily on his show. But as the past has shown, when Trump is under attack, he will strike back. His hard-core supporters might like this, but many others don’t. And so, as it was prophesied, this country continues to be hopelessly divided, without any chance of experiencing healing.

Ex-Defense Chief Mattis Rips Trump for Dividing Americans

AP wrote on June 4:

“In an extraordinary rebuke, former defense secretary Jim Mattis on Wednesday denounced President Donald Trump’s heavy-handed use of military force to quell protests near the White House and said his former boss was setting up a ‘false conflict’ between the military and civilian society… The criticism was all the more remarkable because Mattis has generally kept a low profile since retiring as defense secretary in December 2018 to protest Trump’s Syria policy. He had declined to speak out against Trump, saying he owed the nation public silence while his former boss remained in office… Trump responded on Twitter Wednesday evening by calling Mattis ‘the world’s most overrated General.’…

“‘Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people —does not even pretend to try. Instead he tries to divide us,’ Mattis wrote in a statement published by The Atlantic… ‘We are witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership.’…

“One day after Trump announced he was pulling all U.S. troops out of Syria, where they were partnering with local Syrians to fight the Islamic State, Mattis tried but failed to change Trump’s mind. So, he resigned. Trump soon turned on Mattis, calling him a failure. He said falsely that he had fired Mattis…”

Religious Leaders Criticize Trump

Newsmax reported on June 2:

“President Donald Trump has signed an executive order on religious freedom, even as he’s come under fire over visits made to religious sites amid protests over the death of George Floyd… Earlier Tuesday, Trump and first lady Melania Trump visited the National Shrine in Washington, a place of significance and prayer for Catholics

“Washington, D.C. Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory slammed Trump’s Tuesday shrine visit in a statement. ‘I find it baffling and reprehensible that any Catholic facility would allow itself to be so egregiously misused and manipulated in a fashion that violates our religious principles, which call us to defend the rights of all people even those with whom we might disagree,’ Gregory wrote…

“‘Pope John Paul II… certainly would not condone the use of tear gas and other deterrents to silence, scatter or intimidate them for a photo opportunity in front of a place of worship and peace.’ Gregory’s statement was made following Trump’s appearance in front of St. John’s Episcopal Church on Monday. There, he posed for a photo with a Bible.

“Trump was criticized by many religious leaders for that photo op because military police cleared out protesters with tear gas prior to his arrival. Episcopal Rev. Gini Gerbasi posted on Facebook that she was ‘driven off’ the church’s patio by police for Trump’s ‘cheap political stunt.’”

Even Staunch Allies Scold U.S.

The Washington Times wrote on June 1:

“The Trump administration’s struggles to get control of violent nationwide protests has sparked comment and criticism from even some of America’s staunchest allies, potentially driving a wedge between the U.S. and its partners as demonstrations spread around the globe and the U.S. seems paralyzed by an onset of crises… the racially charged firestorm has taken hold in all corners of the world.

“America’s main adversaries seem to be taking delight in the unrest. China and Iran are openly mocking the U.S. and claiming that the nation’s deep-rooted racism and ineffective political system have led to an inevitable reckoning. Even more striking has been the criticism from friends and traditional allies. Officials in Britain and Germany took subtle swipes at American leaders Monday, and leading newspapers in Australia declared that the U.S. is ‘tearing itself apart’ and that the American political system has failed spectacularly.

“Top British officials publicly called on the U.S. to cease all harassment of journalists trying to cover the growing protests… In Germany, top officials seemed to mock President Trump’s plan to declare the group Antifa as a terrorist organization. The far-left group, which considers itself ‘anti-fascist,’ has been responsible for some of the violence across major U.S. cities in recent days, the president has said.”

Deutsche Welle reported on June 2:

“German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said that the anti-police brutality protests in the US were ‘more than legitimate’ and that he hopes they will spark change. ‘I can only express the hope that the peaceful protests don’t turn violent, and even more the hope that they will have an impact,’ he added. He also called for press freedom for reporters covering the protests…”

Many of the “protests” have turned violent. But even these events further the alienation between Europe and the USA.

The Overlooked Connection?

The Week wrote on May 30:

“Another indelible image. Or rather a series of them: night fires, masked faces running in and out of burned storefronts… protests, rioting, looting… Our long hot summer was always coming…

“As far as I am aware, no one has written at meaningful length about Floyd’s killing in the context of the lockdown and the pandemic it was ostensibly meant to contain… The relationship between all of these problems and the prolonged atomizing of the lockdown is the same as that between gunpowder and a match… social distancing was going to get darker, and it has: studies project as many as 100,000 additional ‘deaths of despair’ in the months and years to come…

“What conclusions can be drawn from Minneapolis? One is that millions of us no longer believe (if indeed we ever really did) that there is a meaningful risk of outdoor transmission of the virus, even in very large crowds, especially among the young…”

The Ron Paul Institute agrees, stating this on June 1:

 “Are the riots engulfing the nation simply fallout from the shocking killing of a black suspected forgerer at the hands of a white police officer? Or is there something else to the story? The ramifications of three months of nationwide lockdown may be more profound than people understand…

Six hundred physicians recently signed a letter to President Trump calling for an end to the coronavirus lockdowns. The physicians wrote that, far from protecting public health, the lockdowns are causing ‘exponentially growing negative health consequences’ for millions of Americans.”

The obvious connection between the governmental restrictions due to the coronavirus and the ensuing frustration of the people should not be overlooked. Resorting to violence is of course totally wrong, but so are autocratic and brutal measures by the governments. All of this is instigated by Satan.

George Floyd Had Coronavirus!

Breitbart wrote on June 3:

“A report published Wednesday evening indicated George Floyd had coronavirus approximately two months before his death, though multiple autopsies did not attribute his death to the illness. Ed O’Keefe of CBS News said on Twitter that the official autopsy found George Floyd had coronavirus, which could be a significant development in the case if medical officials follow their pattern of categorizing deaths related to the disease…

“In April, Minnesota, along with many other states, began attributing deaths to coronavirus if no test was done and the deceased was suspected of having the illness… If a diagnosis of COVID-19 is suspected or likely …it is acceptable to report COVID-19 as ‘probable’ or ‘presumed’. That could have an impact on Floyd’s suspected cause of death. There have been several instances around the country where an individual had COVID-19, but died under unrelated circumstances, and the death was blamed on the virus.

“In May, a Colorado man had a blood alcohol level of .550 and died of alcohol poisoning, but his cause of death was later changed to coronavirus… In Alabama, ‘a bedbound patient with aspiration pneumonia in one lung and a person with a buildup of fluid and partial collapse of one lung’ had their deaths attributed to coronavirus… ‘The intent is, right now, that … if someone dies with COVID-19, we are counting that as a CODID-19 death,’ [Dr. Deborah Birx] said.”

 Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison elevated the charges against the main culprit to second-degree murder. The three other officers who were at the scene are being charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder.

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on June 3:

“‘Stay home, save lives,’ the politicians and media demanded. And Americans stayed home for months and lost their jobs and their mental and physical health. If you go out, they said, you will kill people by passing on the virus. But all of a sudden these same politicians have turned on a dime in the aftermath of the killing of a Minnesota man in police custody – all of a sudden they are not only encouraging but joining mass public protests.”

Is America Headed for a Post-Apocalyptic Currency Collapse?

The Drudge Report linked to an article by FX Street of June 3:

“Just when it seemed as though America may be turning the corner after months of lockdown… just when it seemed as though we were on a path to reopening and gradually returning to normalcy… just when the prospects of panic-induced social unrest seemed to be behind us… America’s cities erupted into flames…

“The response to pandemic fears, including and especially the economic consequences, certainly contributed to driving some people over the edge. Pent up stress, frustration, boredom, alienation, fear, and other symptoms of cabin fever created the potential for a social conflagration.

“Some economists are predicting a death blow to small businesses that were already under unprecedented financial strain. If they weren’t ransacked, looted, and destroyed by hooligans, they will feel the macro effects of urban decline and flight, plummeting consumer confidence, falling property values, and worsening budgetary crises for state and local governments…

“The currency crisis will also come… No government can borrow into oblivion and no currency can be printed into oblivion without that currency losing credibility and purchasing power…

“The… leaders in positions of power who are failing us now can be expected to continue failing. The elites who control the media and both political parties seem to be operating as if wrecking the country is their goal – a point Tucker Carlson powerfully drove home on his Fox News show Monday. It’s time to get prepared both personally and financially if you’re not already.”

Bayer Prohibited to Sell Controversial Herbicide in the USA

 Bloomberg wrote on June 4:

“Bayer AG is blocked from selling its controversial dicamba-based herbicide in the U.S. after an appeals court rejected a federal regulator’s permit for the product… The three-judge panel concluded the Environmental Protection Agency had ‘failed entirely’ to acknowledge some risks dicamba poses and that the agency violated federal regulations when it extended its approval of registration for the herbicide for another two years in October 2018.

“The ruling means farmers who bought seeds to be used with dicamba for this year’s growing season may not be able to plant them, since pesticides can’t be sold or distributed in the U.S. without EPA registration. The decision is the latest blow to Bayer in the wake of its $63 billion takeover of Monsanto — a deal that made the German company a leader in agriculture products but also saddled it with a mountain of legal liabilities related to weed killers…

“Dicamba is a central ingredient in Bayer’s XtendiMax, and can vaporize after being applied to crops and drift onto neighboring fields that aren’t resistant to the herbicide. It’s widely blamed for damaging 3.6 million acres of untreated soybeans in 2017, and more than 1 million acres in 2018.”

Not to speak of the effects on human health.

US Supreme Court Upholds California’s Ban on Churches

Breitbart wrote on May 29:

“The Supreme Court on Friday night ruled in favor of coronavirus restrictions on religious services in California in a 5-4 decision. Chief Justice John Roberts sided with the four liberal justices to side with California’s legal argument that they had the right to shut down or limit religious services… Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel A. Alito Jr., Neil M. Gorsuch, and Brett M. Kavanaugh voted against.

“In his dissent, Kavanaugh argued that ‘comparable secular businesses’ such as supermarkets, stores, hair salons, and marijuana dispensaries were not subject to the same restrictions as churches. The church and its congregants simply want to be treated equally to comparable secular businesses,’ Kavanaugh wrote…

“The case was brought to the Supreme Court by the South Bay United Pentecostal Church in Chula Vista, Ca. California Governor Gavin Newsom has ordered that in-church gatherings can only reach 25 percent of capacity and under 100 people. President Trump last week demanded that all religious services be considered ‘essential services’ during the coronavirus pandemic, just as liquor stores and grocery stores are.

“Roberts’ decision to side with the liberals marks a stark contrast with judicial precedence to side with religious liberty enshrined in the Constitution.”

These kinds of decisions by the US Supreme Court’s liberal judges, with the support of flip flopping John Roberts, are hard to comprehend or to support. They are strictly political, constituting a shame for the alleged independence of our legal system.

Chief Justice Roberts’ Fight against Religious Liberty

The Hill wrote on June 1:

“Roberts… champions the power of government officials to dictate to the people who elect them without ‘second-guessing by an unelected federal judiciary’ — exactly the power that the Bill of Rights, and the incorporation jurisprudence by which the court has applied much of it to the states, are meant to deny

“By the chief justice’s lights… it ‘seems quite improbable’ that the Supreme Court would find unconstitutional the actions of state and local officials wrestling with ‘a novel severe acute respiratory illness’ which has ‘killed … more [than] 100,000 people nationwide,’ and as to which ‘there is no known cure, no effective treatment, and no vaccine.’

“There is no recognition, in Roberts’ rendering, that there is another side to this equation — a side where 400 times the number of people who’ve died have lost their jobs, millions of them facing ruin. The stubborn message: Don’t expect the court to help you, you’re the ones who elected these people; if you don’t like what they do, un-elect them…

“The justices are happy to order that abortion must be available, to decide which couples (or perhaps throuples) must be permitted to marry, and to dictate what’s ever next in the ceaseless march of progressive, organic ‘liberty.’ But as for the liberties that are actually in the Constitution, we are on our own.”

One just HAS to wonder as to what is going on here!

Merkel Won’t Attend G7 Meeting in June

Politico wrote on May 30:

“Angela Merkel has rebuffed Donald Trump’s invitation to attend a G7 summit… ‘The federal chancellor thanks President Trump for his invitation to the G7 summit at the end of June in Washington. As of today, considering the overall pandemic situation, she cannot agree to her personal participation, to a journey to Washington,’ German government spokesman Steffen Seibert told POLITICO Friday…

“Merkel’s refusal to accept Trump’s invitation is the latest in a long line of examples of the difficult relationship between the two leaders… In a call between Trump and Merkel this week, the two leaders had heated disagreements on topics including NATO, the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline between Russia and Germany, and relations with China… Officials aware of the transatlantic discussions said Trump was furious over Merkel’s reluctance to attend the summit…”

It is obvious that Merkel’s decision is political and not based on health concerns. Trump’s reaction is telling. Note the next article.

Trump Postpones G-7 Summit

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 31:

“US President Donald Trump on Saturday announced that he will be postponing a Group of 7 (G 7) summit until fall this year… Trump called the G7 a ‘very outdated group of countries’ that could not properly represent ‘what’s going on in the world.’ He said he wanted to expand the list of invited states to Russia, Australia, South Korea and India…

“Along with the US, the G7 includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom. Five years ago, Russia was excluded from the then-G8 over its annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea region.”

Trump never liked Russia’s exclusion. This might be his way of reversing this course of action and, at the same time, trying to humiliate Germany and other European powers who insisted on Russia’s exclusion. It might or might not work out for Trump.

Trudeau: Russia? — No Way!

Politico wrote on June 1:

“Justin Trudeau says inviting Russia back to the G-7 table would be unacceptable, even as Donald Trump plans to open the 2020 summit’s doors to Vladimir Putin… The Canadian prime minister told reporters Monday that Russia should not be welcomed back. The U.K. also said Monday that it would veto any such plan… Decisions on membership must be backed unanimously by the G-7 members.”

But arguably, Putin could be invited as a “participating” guest, without becoming a member. Trudeau and Johnson were more sympathetic towards that idea.

Germany Wants to Make Europe Strong Again

Politico wrote on May 30:

“Forget Make America Great Again. Here comes Make Europe Strong Again. The German government has settled on ‘Gemeinsam. Europa wieder stark machen’ — which translates into English as ‘Together. Making Europe strong again’ — as its slogan for the country’s upcoming presidency of the Council of the EU, which kicks off on July 1…

“Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman, Steffen Seibert, said Friday that the motto… aims to illustrate the German presidency will have to ‘find compromises and solutions to tackle the challenges posed by the corona pandemic’ across Europe. The logo is meant to symbolize ‘joint action emerging from the EU’s diversity again and again,’ he said.

“Merkel said earlier this week that China would be one of the priorities of the German presidency. On Friday, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Berlin wants to develop ‘a robust EU strategy on China’ during the coming six months, with a flagship summit of all EU leaders and Chinese President Xi Jinping scheduled for September 14. ‘I believe that the best way to influence China is to make it clear that the European Union is very united … and that it will not be possible to break individual countries out of this unity,’ Maas said.”

And Germany will become strong and great again… for a while… unlike America.

Britain’s New Nightmarish Quarantine Rules

The Sun wrote on May 30:

“From June 8, anyone arriving in the UK faces a £1,000 fine if they do not self-isolate for two weeks—including holidaymaking Brits coming back to the country… But fears over the cost of the quarantine – claimed to be £650million-a-week – and over how difficult it could be to police have been raised.

“Border Force staff told the Daily Mail: ‘It’s a completely new way of doing things and no-one knows how it’s going to work.’ He said there had been no clear instruction as of yet what to do if passengers simply refuse to sign the form that will tell officials where they plan to isolate…

“These online forms won’t be paired with a passport or linked to a database, meaning officers may need to check manually if they have been filled out. It has been suggested this would cause hours of queues for people making their way through British airports…  Once out of the airport and quarantining, it is understood travellers will get regular follow-up phone calls from agency staff to assess how honestly they were isolating themselves, and some could get a visit from the police….”

These rules are really ridiculous…

Lockdown a Colossal Failure

The Daily Mail wrote on May 24:

“The coronavirus lockdown could have caused more deaths than it saved, a Nobel laureate scientist has claimed. Michael Levitt, a Stanford University professor… suggested the decision to keep people indoors was motivated by ‘panic‘ rather than the best science. Professor Levitt also said the modelling that caused the government to bring in the lockdown – carried out by Professor Neil Ferguson – over-estimated the death toll by ’10 or 12 times’.

“His claims echo those in a JP Morgan report that said lockdowns failed to alter the course of the pandemic but have instead ‘destroyed millions of livelihoods‘. Author Marko Kolanovic, a trained physicist… said governments had been spooked by ‘flawed scientific papers’ into imposing lockdowns which were ‘inefficient or late’ and had little effect… Prof Levitt [said:] ‘I think lockdown saved no lives. I think it may have cost lives… social damage – domestic abuse, divorces, alcoholism – has been extreme…

“His comments come as other scientists working in the same field also reported that they couldn’t verify Prof Ferguson’s work. Competing scientists’ research – whose models produced vastly different results – were largely ignored by government advisers…”

These are mind-provoking thoughts, calling totally into question as to how governments went about “fighting” the coronavirus.

Trump’s Fight with China

Newsweek wrote on May 29:

“President Donald Trump issued a proclamation on Friday [effective on June 1] prohibiting entry to the U.S. for… [Chinese] graduate students and [some] researchers

“The proclamation… does not apply to permanent residents of the U.S. or their spouses…

“The measure was one of several that Trump made on Friday in apparent retaliation for China’s recent moves to tighten control over Hong Kong… Trump also announced that he was ‘terminating’ the U.S. relationship with the [WHO], insisting that China has ‘total control’ over the global health authority…”

It seemed for a while that the relationship between the USA and China was improving. This is now a thing of the past… again.

Trump’s Plans towards Hong Kong

Regarding Trump’s plan of rescinding Hong Kong’s special status, Reuters wrote on May 28:

“Trump gave no time frame for the moves, suggesting he may be trying to buy time before deciding whether to implement the most drastic measures, which have drawn strong resistance from U.S. companies operating in Hong Kong…

“Trump also has to take into account the effect on the more than 1,300 U.S. firms that have offices in Hong Kong and provide about 100,000 jobs… from 2009 to 2018, the cumulative U.S. trade surplus of $297 billion with Hong Kong was the biggest among all U.S. trading partners.”

Hong Kong—once one of the “gates” in the house of Israel’s possession—will be totally lost to China, and in allowing or even provoking this development, the USA will be doing themselves a great disservice.

The Eurozone of Core Nations WILL Stay

Money Marketing wrote on May 28:

“… it now appears highly unlikely that the eurozone will collapse ‘by accident’… we have a eurozone with a central bank that has virtual impunity to print money to underpin its banking system. And we have the biggest players (Germany, France, Spain and Italy) basically agreeing to the principle of burden sharing on the fiscal side.”

As we have ALWAYS said in defiance of those “prophets” who claimed to know it better, the euro is here to stay.

Transitioning NATO into a European-led force

The Washington Times wrote on May 31:

“EU Foreign Minister Josep Borrell told an audience in Berlin on Monday that some European analysts had been talking more and more about the ‘end of an American-led system…’ The 27-nation bloc, he concluded, should… ‘follow our own interests.’… Washington should realize that Mr. Borrell has a point… A re-evaluation of the trans-Atlantic relationship is long overdue…

“The first NATO Secretary-General, Lord Hastings Ismay, famously said that NATO existed to ‘keep the Soviets out, the Americans in, and the Germans down.’ But with the collapse of the U.S.S.R. — along with the rise of  France, the U.K., and a reunified Germany as rich nations — the fundamental reasons for NATO’s existence vanished. The once-compelling justification for the United States to underwrite the security of Western Europe has likewise disappeared…”

This shows again how faulty human reasoning and the outward appearance can lead to decisions which will heavily backfire.

Israel’s Annexation Plan

Times of Israel wrote on May 29:

“Jordan’s foreign minister on Thursday night warned the top diplomats of the US and UK against the ‘unprecedented threat’ Israel’s planned annexation of parts of the West Bank posed to the region, his office said. Ayman Safadi spoke with British FM Dominic Raab, urging him to make efforts to ‘safeguard’ peace and prevent Israel from moving forward with the annexation project… In a conversation with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, he said, he expressed Jordan’s strong opposition to the move…

“Washington on Thursday warned its citizens to take extra caution when traveling to the West Bank or the Gaza Strip, anticipating potential violence. A security alert by the US Embassy in Jerusalem advised citizens to ‘maintain a high level of vigilance and to take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness.’ It warned that ‘violence can occur with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, government checkpoints, markets and shopping facilities or government facilities.’…

“Netanyahu’s vow to go through with annexation has led to condemnations from a growing list of countries, including Arab states such as Jordan and European nations like France and Germany…”

In that context, Breaking Israel News reported on May 26:

“Several European leaders reportedly sent personal letters to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in recent days asking him not to push ahead with plans to unilaterally annex parts of the West Bank [including Emmanuel Macron, Boris Johnson, Pedro Sánchez and Giuseppe Conte].

“Several European nations are currently considering ways… to punish [Israel] if it ignores their warnings and carries out the annexation…”

It will be interesting to see what Europe and the international community will do when Israel goes ahead with its annexation.

EU Hostility Against Israel

Breaking Israel News wrote on June 2:

“Has the European Union reached a tipping point over Israel?… A number of member states, headed by France along with Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, Poland, Belgium and Luxembourg, are calling for a hard line…

“Their hostility is the product of three factors: historic and ineradicable anti-Jewish prejudice; the pathological inability to deal with collective guilt over the Holocaust; and the perception that their interests have for decades lain with the Arab world…

“Taking punitive action against Israel would also expose it to the wrath of U.S. President Donald Trump…”

This could lead to a confrontation between the USA and Europe over Israel.

Israel Unprepared for War with Iran

Breaking Israel News and YNET News wrote on May 28:

“… it seems the question is not will there be a conflict [with Israel] where the Iranians use the massive rocket arsenal they supplied Hezbollah with, but rather when… Israel is not ready for the next war, neither against Iran nor against Hezbollah. Their missiles won’t destroy Israel, but the home front is not prepared, the army is not prepared, and the damage will be far-reaching…

“Our enemies could easily bankrupt us through mass production of primitive rockets that cost only a few dozen dollars apiece…”

The warning of Hosea 5:13 (“… when Judah saw his wound”) comes to mind.

Facebook Oversight Board Stacked with Leftists

Judicial Watch wrote on May 29:

“The recently appointed Facebook oversight board that will decide which posts get blocked from the world’s most popular social networking website is stacked with leftists… Judicial Watch conducted a deep dive into the new panel that will make content rulings for the technology company that was slammed last year with a $5 billion fine for privacy violations. The information uncovered by Judicial Watch shows that the group of 20 is overwhelmingly leftist and likely to restrict conservative views.

“More than half of the members have ties to Soros, the philanthropist who dedicates huge sums to spreading a radical left agenda that includes targeting conservative politicians. Other Facebook oversight board members have publicly expressed their disdain for President Donald Trump or made political contributions to top Democrats such as Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Elizabeth Warren. As one New York newspaper editorial determined this month, the new Facebook board is a ‘recipe for left-wing censorship.’…

“The new board has only a few token conservatives… The overwhelming majority of those making Facebook’s ‘final and binding decisions on whether specific content should be allowed or removed,’ are leftists… ‘The cases we choose to hear may be contentious, and we will not please everyone with our decisions,’ Facebook warns.”

This does not sound too good for those expressing conservative views and who want to uphold principles as stated in the Bible.

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.

This Week in the News

Pompeo Accuses Iran

Times of Israel wrote on May 22:

“US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday accused the Iranian leadership of ‘echoing Hitler’s call for genocide’ after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called for ‘eliminating the Zionist regime’… Khamenei also posted on his website an anti-Israel poster that invoked the term ‘final solution’ which is usually associated with Nazi Germany’s efforts to eliminate all Jews.

“The poster showed people celebrating at the Temple Mount compound in Jerusalem after apparently capturing it from Israel as a Palestinian flag is raised over the Al-Aqsa Mosque. ‘Palestine Will Be Free. The final solution: Resistance until referendum,’ the text on the poster says…

“The European Union on Thursday evening condemned the Iranian leader’s threats against Israel with the bloc’s foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell issuing a consensus statement on behalf of all 27 members of the EU. ‘Such statements are totally unacceptable and represent a deep source of concern. They are also incompatible with the objective of a stable and peaceful Middle East region pursued by the EU,’ the statement read. ‘The European Union reiterates its fundamental commitment to the security of Israel.’

“Israel’s Ambassador to Germany Jeremy Issacharoff… said Friday that the union’s statement did not go far enough. Khamenei ‘did not just bring into question Israel’s legitimacy, he wrote explicitly about ‘eliminating the Zionist regime which goes from denying the Holocaust to promoting one,’ the Israeli diplomat wrote on his Twitter account. ‘The gravity of his remarks is not reflected in the EU reaction.’”

 The EU’s alleged support of Israel is questionable at best.

Israel Will Annex

The Times of Israel wrote on May 25:

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday said he has set a July date for when Israel will extend its sovereignty to areas of the West Bank, and… he has no intention of changing it

“Netanyahu said there has never been a better time in the country’s history to apply sovereignty, which is tantamount to annexation, to these areas…

“The move would be coordinated with the US, in accordance with the Middle East plan US President Donald Trump unveiled in January, which endorsed extending Israeli sovereignty over roughly 30 percent of the West Bank. However, the entire peace plan has been rejected by the Palestinians, who seek the West Bank as territory for a future Palestinian state.”

Israel’s planned annexation, which has also been condemned by the EU, will set in motion turbulent developments in the Middle East.

Into the Abyss

Marketwatch wrote on May 23:

“Charles Hugh Smith… the man behind the OfTwoMinds.com, which was recognized by CNBC as one of the best alternative financial blogs on the internet, has been calling for the implosion of the U.S. empire for years now, and the coronavirus pandemic has him believing that time has finally come

“The slippery slope to collapse — decadence — is characterized by greed, corruption, irreconcilable internal political rifts, moral decay, frivolity, materialism,’ Smith writes… The pandemic is merely ‘the final kick into the abyss,’ he said, after the global financial crisis laid bare the fragile nature of an economy kept alive with artificial stimulus. ‘Elites have done nothing but kick the can down the road for over a decade,’ he wrote. ‘Nothing that’s broken has been fixed; all that’s been done is trillions in currency has been borrowed or printed to paper over the dissolution, decay and decline.’

“Smith warned of a ‘terminal crisis’ that begins in 2021, regardless of any progress made to bring an end to the pandemic and kickstart the ravaged global economy. ‘A COVID-19 vaccine, or lack thereof, will have zero effect in terms of reversing these cycles,’ he said. ‘Call it fate, call it karma, call it what you will, but the cycles have aligned and nothing can stop the unraveling of all that was foolishly presumed to be permanent.’”

America is indeed beyond recovery… even when it comes to the economy. Also note the next article.

Rental Car Giant Hertz Files For Bankruptcy Protection

npr wrote on May 23:

“Car rental company Hertz filed for bankruptcy protection Friday, citing an ‘abrupt decline in revenue’ during the coronavirus pandemic… Retailers J.C. Penney, J. Crew and Neiman Marcus all filed for bankruptcy protection this month. Home-decor chain Pier 1 Imports announced it would be closing for good

“After many states began to declare stay at home orders in March, car rentals dried up, and Hertz reduced spending, implemented furloughs and laid off 20,000 employees. In April the company, which includes car-rental brands Dollar, Thrifty and Firefly, missed a payment on its debt, but reached a short-term deal with its creditors. The company was unable to secure a long-term agreement.”

Measures of German State of Saxony Remind of Nazi Germany

Deutsche Wirtschaftsnachrichten reported on May 21 that beginning on May 25, the German state of Saxony is threatening parents of students who fail to bring with them daily a signed letter from the parents that their children are healthy. The letter will also have to state whether someone else in their household is sick.

If the parents forget to give that letter to their children, the school will inform the parents to immediately collect the children. In case of a repeat, the state may come in to take the children away from their parents.

Wochenblick added on May 20 that this reminds one of methods in Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union.

Germany’s Antisemitism—from the Kaiser to Hitler and Beyond

The Algemeiner published on May 27 the following opinion piece by Historian Harold Brackman:

“Among the ideological causes of World War I were hubris and hatred by Germans that reinforced Kaiser Wilhelm’s — and ultimately Adolf Hitler’s — antisemitism. In broad terms, many Germans became intoxicated with the ‘völkisch’ conception of themselves as a conquering race…

“Houston Stewart Chamberlain [was] a prolific self-taught pseudo-scholar who had Kaiser Wilhelm I’s ear before and during World War I — and lived long enough to influence Hitler… [His book] The Foundations of the Nineteenth Century (1899)… gave Chamberlain a following as far as the United States, whose doom he prophesied.

“The book’s… theme was that Germans had been a master race ever since they vanquished the Roman Empire… In 1901, after Kaiser Wilhelm read Chamberlain’s Foundations, they became fast friends and regular correspondents… German defeat and the kaiser’s abdication in 1918 did not end Chamberlain’s influence. Sensing that a man of destiny was emerging… he wrote a fawning letter in 1923 thanking Hitler for ‘transform[ing] the state of my soul.’”

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 27:

“Authorities… recorded 2,032 crimes motivated by anti-Semitism – a rise of 13% over 2018, and the highest since those statistics were collected. Some 93.4% of those crimes were carried out by far-right perpetrators.”

German anti-Semitism is by no means a thing of the past. The same goes for anti- Semitism throughout Europe and the entire world.

Guidelines for School Children in the USA

In an article published by the Ron Paul Institute, Ron Paul wrote on May 25:

“Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)… unveiled ‘guidelines’ for schools to follow when they reopen. Among the CDC’s guidelines are that schools put tape on the hallways, directing children which direction to walk and how much distance to keep between themselves and their classmates. The CDC also recommends children do not share electronic devices or learning aids. The guidelines even say children should wear masks at school.

“The CDC’s guidelines instruct schools to close playgrounds and cafeterias, and to cancel all field trips and assemblies. Instead, students are to spend all day at their desks, not even leaving classrooms for lunch or recess.

“The CDC’s guidelines may not have the force of law, but it is likely most government schools will adopt them in order to ensure continued access to federal funding… by forbidding children from going outside to play, exercise, and get sunshine, the guidelines actually endanger children’s health. The guidelines also harm children by limiting their ability to interact with their fellow students and develop social skills.”

These guidelines are indeed horrible and, if implemented, would be harmful to our children.

Separating New-Born Babies from their Mothers

Breaking Israel News wrote on May 26:

“The Center for Disease Control (CDC) released a statement recently that recommends separating newborn babies from their mothers in an effort to stem the spread of Covid-19. The separation is intended for mothers who tested positive for coronavirus. However, the CDC also recommends separating them from mothers who are suspected to have coronavirus. In other words, the CDC is looking to separate newborn babies from their mothers even if they didn’t test positive for Covid-19.”

This is just so SICK and so INSANE!

A National Disgrace

ABC News reported on May 22:

“People arriving in the U.K. next month will have to quarantine themselves for 14 days and could face an unlimited fine if they fail to comply… the rules will take effect June 8 and will apply to arrivals from all countries except Ireland… Britons returning from overseas will also have to stay home and avoid mixing with others for 14 days under the measures, which will be reviewed every three weeks…

“Arriving passengers will have to provide contact details and will be checked on regularly during the two weeks… They will also be ‘encouraged’ to download a contact-tracing app that authorities are developing — if the glitch-filled app is ever put into use…

“There has been confusion about the U.K. policy, after the government initially said it would not apply to people arriving from France… Britain later said France would not be exempt. Airlines have warned that the British move could hobble their efforts to rebuild a business devastated by pandemic-related travel restrictions. Tim Alderslade, chief executive of trade body Airlines U.K., said a blanket quarantine was ‘just about the worst thing government could do if their aim is to restart the economy.’…”

The Mirror added on May 22:

“The move will anger some sectors, with Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary earlier this week branding the plan ‘idiotic’ and ‘unimplementable’, while trade body Airlines UK has previously said a quarantine ‘would effectively kill’ international travel to and from Britain…”

Europe Might Retaliate Against Britain

Express wrote on May 20:

“European countries have said they will open their borders to British tourists, but only if the UK does not impose the 14-day travel rules

“Italian foreign minister Luigi Di Maio also said… ‘From mid-June to September it will be possible to travel in Italy without any problems… We will [open the borders] and we expect reciprocity.’…”

This might very well lead to further alienation between the UK and the European power bloc.

No Masks Allowed

The Guardian wrote on May 22:

“Shops around the US make headlines for denying entry to those wearing masks as protesters argue against preventative measures… On Thursday…, a Kentucky convenience store that put up a sign reading: ‘NO Face Masks allowed in store. Lower your mask or go somewhere else…’

“Another sign was posted by a Californian construction store earlier this month encouraging hugs but not masks. In Illinois, a gas station employee who put up a similar sign has since defended herself, arguing that mask-wearing made it hard to differentiate between adults and children when selling booze and cigarettes.”

Deutsche Welle added on May 26 that the east German state of Thüringen [Thuringia] announced “that they might be the first to lift the restrictions [including to wear face masks] altogether on June 6, but later seemed to go back on those comments. Thuringia said it reserves the right to pass measures that differ than the ones recommended by the national government in the public space… Germany is set to extend its coronavirus distancing measures until June 29… The measures allow up to 10 people or members of two households to meet in public.”

UN Advances Abortion in the Midst of Corona Crisis

Breaking Israel News reported on May 24, 2020:

“Last week, John Barsa, the acting administrator for the US agency for international development (USAid), sent a letter to the UN secretary-general António Guterres, criticizing the UN’s decision to include abortion as an ‘essential service’ during the pandemic.

“‘… the UN should not use this crisis as an opportunity to advance access to abortion as an “essential service”… by cynically placing the provision of “sexual and reproductive health services” on the same level of importance as food-insecurity, essential health care, malnutrition, shelter, and sanitation. Most egregious is that [the UN] calls for the widespread distribution of abortion-inducing drugs and abortion supplies, and for the promotion of abortion in local country settings.’”

This is despicable. While measures are allegedly implemented to save lives, at the same time measures are promoted to take lives. The rationale of the UN might be that cells of many aborted fetuses are needed to produce vaccines.

California Opens Up to Essential Church Services… Really?

The Los Angeles Times wrote in a daily newsletter on May 26:

“Amid growing political pressure on Gov. Gavin Newsom to address church reopenings… attendance at services will be capped at 25% of total capacity or a maximum of 100 attendees, whichever is lower. The attendance limits will be in place for 21 days and then reassessed. The reopening of houses of worship will be subject to approval by county departments of public health… the guidelines… strongly encourage churches, mosques, temples and other houses of worship to continue to facilitate remote services for those who are especially vulnerable to COVID-19…

“On Friday night, the 9th Circuit Court of appeals [one of the most liberal courts if not the most liberal court of appeals in the country] upheld Newsom’s prior ban on in-person church services in a split ruling… hours after [Trump declared church services as being essential.]

“The rethinking of the state moratorium also came just ahead of Pentecost Sunday, which falls on May 31 this year. More than 1,200 pastors had vowed to hold in-person services on the holy day, in defiance of what had been the state guidelines… houses of worship will be discouraged from sharing items used during services, such as prayer books, cushions and prayer rugs… congregants must be screened for fever or other symptoms of illness and are asked to use hand sanitizer and wear face coverings. The passing of offering plates will also be discontinued…

“[The guidelines also said that] ‘activities such as singing and group recitation negate the risk-reduction achieved through six feet of physical distancing’… As individuals project their voices to join together in song, they could also be dispersing viral particles into the room…”

Has one ever heard such nonsense? The same nonsense prevails in Germany. See the next article.

No Singing in Germany

The Daily Mail wrote on May 27:

“German authorities are warning against singing and several states have banned it from church services over fears it spreads the coronavirus… In recommendations for the resumption of church services, the federal government stated that singing should be avoided ‘because of the increased production of potentially infectious droplets, which can be spread over greater distances’…

“[However, the] Bundeswehr University in Munich published a study in early May showing that singing only disturbs air flow up to half a metre (1.6ft) in front of the person. Freiburg University’s Institute for Performing Arts Medicine has also published guidelines for singing with similar results…

“Germany’s Catholic Church has endorsed ‘quiet singing’ in services, as well as restricting numbers. By contrast, the Protestant Church continues to advise a complete ban.”

It is sickening to see how the two big Churches in Germany, perhaps due to unsubstantiated fear or politics, are advocating and supporting questionable recommendations by the German government.

How Coronavirus Statistics Are Exaggerated

Breitbart wrote on May 27:

“… according to a report from [Italy’s] national health authority (ISS)… only 4.1 percent of fatalities testing positive for Wuhan coronavirus happened in the absence of serious comorbidities… 15 percent of fatalities occurred with the presence of just one other serious pathology, while 21.4 percent died with two other pathologies, and 59.6 percent with three or more pathologies…

“One of the most astonishing findings of the report was that only 1.1 percent of all coronavirus deaths in the country happened to people below the age of 50, while more than 57 percent were over 80…

“This week Spain had to revise down its official death count for the coronavirus by nearly 2,000 after discovering a series of reporting errors and duplications… representing a seven percent drop in the total deaths reported.”

Is this mere “coincidence,” negligence and incompetence, or is more behind these terribly exaggerated figures?

Fauci’s Change of Mind?

The Street wrote on May 22:

“Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert, warned Friday that stay-at-home orders that are intended to slow the spread of the coronavirus could end up causing ‘irreparable damage’ if they are imposed for too long

“Earlier this month, Fauci warned senators that areas that disregard government guidelines in reopening their economies risk ‘triggering an outbreak you may not be able to control.’”

Fauci had demanded stay-at-home orders in the first place and he had also demanded that they remain in force and effect. His sudden “change of heart” really sounds extremely hypocritical, and one has to wonder what is behind this sudden reversal.

Defiance

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on May 26:

“From the Lake of the Ozarks to the Texas Gulf Coast, Americans spent Memorial Day weekend in defiance of the forced ‘lockdown’ orders of the politicians. Dr. Birx was furious over people refusing to wear masks at the beach. Other local tyrants screamed and threatened. The people are ignoring them. Deliverance from this coronavirus-induced government tyranny is not coming about because politicians have seen the error of their ways. It is coming about because the people are finally waking up.”

The Week wrote on May 27:

“If the unprecedented global race for the first effective human coronavirus vaccine is successful, only 49 percent of Americans say they would get the vaccine… 31 percent said they were not sure while 20 percent said they would not get the vaccine. About 70 percent of those currently refusing the future vaccine cited safety concerns…”

How long can governments insist on lockdowns and social distancing regulations and even possibly mandatory vaccinations until “civil disobedience” becomes overwhelming and perhaps even violent?

Alan Dershowitz’s Wrong Concepts of the Bible

The Gatestone Institute published the following article on May 22 by Professor of Law Emeritus at Harvard Law Alan Dershowitz:

“Most of the emails and phone calls that I have gotten since I stated that the Constitution permits safe mandatory vaccination against highly contagious and lethal diseases have been from anti-vaxxers who claim the authority of the Bible… The Bible speaks volumes about the need to prevent the spread of contagious diseases. Large sections of the Bible deal with diagnosing contagious diseases such as leprosy and quarantining carriers outside the city walls until they were no longer contagious

“Supporters of slavery cited the Bible, as did anti-Semites and anti-gay bigots. And now anti-vaxxers are distorting and weaponizing the Good Book, religion and God against science. This has happened before, with evolution, the age of the earth, abortion and assisted suicide. But this time the anti-vaxxers who cite the Bible have no plausible argument as anyone can see by turning to Leviticus and other portions of both the Jewish Bible and the Christian New Testament.

“These are God’s words, as recorded in Leviticus, Chapters 13 and 14. ‘The priest shall isolate’ the contagious person for seven days and then an additional seven days if the contagion persists. ‘And he shall dwell alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp.’ Nor was this quarantine voluntary. The priest could compel it. In light of the Bible’s great concern for preventing the spread of contagious diseases – innumerable rules and regulations are devoted to it — can there be any doubt that if a safe and effective vaccine had been developed, it, too, would have been mandated along with a compelled quarantine?…”

This article was obviously written in light of the coronavirus and the present house-arrests and self-isolations and quarantines of healthy persons. In that, Alan Dershowitz is dead wrong. He twists and perverts the Bible by insinuating that God would ever demand quarantining a healthy person.

In his convoluted scriptural reasoning, Dershowitz seems to even admit that only unhealthy persons suffering from a contagious disease should be quarantined, but then seems to suggest that everyone is presumed unhealthy and could be quarantined, unless a “safe” vaccine is developed against the coronavirus. Also, is Dershowitz honestly suggesting that the Bible does NOT condemn homosexuality, abortion, assisted suicide or evolution? Dershowitz is not a credible authority on the right understanding of the Bible.

Locusts Plague Widens

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 27:

“On Tuesday, Indian authorities sent out drones and tractors to track desert locusts and spray them with insecticides, in one of the worst locust swarms seen by the country in nearly 30 years… India is facing its worst food shortages since 1993… Thousands of migrant workers have died from hunger after India suddenly imposed a nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of the coronavirus, leaving workers penniless. An agrarian crisis because of a locust swarm will further hamper relief efforts of the government.

“… the locust infestation will increase next month, when locusts breeding in East Africa reach India. India isn’t the only country attacked by a huge swarm of locusts this year. Pakistan, countries in East Africa, and Yemen have also faced the desert pests and their destruction.”

This is INSANE: In fighting “coronavirus” via lockdown, the government of India has caused the death of thousands of migrants!

Women Not to Give Public Prayers

Fort Worth Star Telegram wrote on May 21:

“The mayor of a Dallas suburb does not want women leading public prayers at city council meetings, according to an email that circulated online. Eric Hogue, the mayor of Wylie and a preacher at one of the town’s churches, confirmed the contents of the email to multiple TV stations. He quoted Corinthians and Timothy scriptures from the Bible…

“‘Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law,’ 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 states. ‘And if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.’ ‘Let the women learn in silence with all subjection,’ 1 Timothy 2:11-12 states. ‘But I suffer not a woman to teach, not to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.’

“The mayor went on to tell the recipient of the email he understands not everyone will agree with him, but he said ‘I can’t go against my conscience… I believe, and this is me, when it comes to (picking) somebody to lead the invocation at a city council meeting, because of those two sets of verses, I’m going to choose a male.’

“Hogue added to KXAS, “In a religious setting, the bible teaches that she’s not to say a public prayer or to lead the singing or to deliver the sermon.’ He has been mayor of Wylie for the past 12 years and has been a pastor at Cottonwood Church of Christ since 2010, WFAA reported.”

The Bible does indeed prohibit women from preaching in public or from a church pulpit, writing religious articles with Scriptural quotations or giving public prayers.

Catholic Mother Earth Worshippers?

Grandin Media wrote on May 21:

“In angry corners of the Internet, there’s no shortage of voices warning that Pope Francis is trying to change the Gospel, or change Catholic doctrine. Such a change simply can’t be found in the text of Laudato Si’, [Development and Peace deputy director Luke] Stocking said. ‘Those who fear the change think we’re becoming Mother Earth worshippers, or that we are becoming essentially pagan…’

“When Laudato Si’ was published in 2015, many thought the kind of economic change the Pope was proposing would be simply impossible. The global economic system was too big to turn around. But our national and international response to COVID-19 shows that we can put the brakes on the economy and change direction on a dime, said University of St. Michael’s emeritus professor Dennis Patrick O’Hara….

“Catholics who experience the joy of the Incarnation at Christmas, who mourn on Good Friday, who celebrate every Sunday, cannot fail to understand Pope Francis and Laudato Si’, said Sr. Margot Ritchie…

‘What’s more Christian than the Incarnation?’ she asked. ‘What other spiritual tradition holds so closely to the fact that God takes flesh, takes body, becomes human, becomes material?…’”

It is interesting that in refuting the idea that Pope Francis is embracing the worship of Mother Earth, a relationship is supposed to be drawn with all kinds of other pagan practices, such as “the joy of the Incarnation at Christmas,” the mourning of Catholics on Good Friday and their celebrations on every Sunday.

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.

This Week in the News

Vaccine a Long Way off, if Ever

The Associated Press wrote on May 17:

“In separate, stark warnings, two major European leaders bluntly told their citizens that the world needs to adapt to living with the coronavirus and cannot wait to be saved by the development of a vaccine

“Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte [said] that Italy could not ‘afford’ to wait [with lifting governmental restrictions] until a vaccine was developed. Health experts say the world could be months, if not years, away from having a vaccine available to everyone despite the scientific gold rush now on to create one.

“Britain’s Johnson… speculated Sunday that a vaccine may not be developed at all, despite the huge global effort to produce one.”

This conflicts with and contradicts President Trump’s ambitious and controversial plans. Note the next article.

US Military to Enforce Vaccinations?

Beforeitsnews wrote on May 14:

“The endgame of the global Coronavirus pandemic is beginning to come into view, and in addition to a quantum leap forward in mass surveillance and tracking and tracing individuals, it will also include a rushed, mass vaccine, and as President Trump just told America, will be administered in the U.S. by the military… President Trump echoed recent statements made by Bill Gates, who is telling the world we have to vaccinate ‘7 billion healthy people’ in order to ‘return to normal.’

“[Trump said this:] ‘I think we’re going to have a vaccine by the end of the year… we’re mobilizing our military, and other forces… so at the end of the year we’re going to be able to give it to a lot of people very, very rapidly… We’re of the assumption that by the end of the year we’re going to have a vaccine, and then we have to be able to give it, to use it on most of our population. Now, we’ll focus on elderly, we’re going to focus on nursing homes and, you know, senior citizen centers… that is a very vulnerable group…’

“Trump’s comments come after Chicago Health Commissioner, Allison Arwady, made similar public statements, telling area residents the city was already investing in and planning a mass vaccination campaign: ‘…and then finally we’ll be moving towards this mass vaccination campaign, continuing to follow, and I want you to know, the CDPH is already deep in the planning stages around vaccination. We’ve already bought the syringes. We already know where it’s going to happen. We’re thinking about what that’s going to be. It’s all part of this plan.’

“This news comes at a time that mainstream media is reporting that vaccines may not ever work for Coronavirus, that the virus has already mutated, that a vaccine may not even be possible, and that we may need multiple vaccines… Either way, a rushed through product injected into hundreds of millions, or billions, of people without any long-term testing whatsoever is insanely dangerous. And in this case, Bill Gates is already warning us that a Covid-19 vaccine will use new RNA vaccine technology, which actually permanently alters the genes of anyone who takes it. This represents an even bigger human experiment…

“It remains to be seen what restrictions or punitive measures will be taken against Americans who refuse the vaccine.”

All of this is really a deeply frightening prospect. And the next three articles make it even more disturbing.

US Governmental Right to Forcibly Vaccinate?

WorldNetDaily reported on May 18:

“Harvard Law School emeritus professor Alan Dershowitz claimed in an interview that the government has a constitutional right under the 10th Amendment to forcibly vaccinate a citizen to curb the spread of a contagious disease… ‘And if you refuse to be vaccinated, the state has the power to literally take you to a doctor’s office and plunge a needle into your arm.’…

“Dershowitz clarified that if a person is threatened with a deadly disease that is not contagious, he can refuse treatment. ‘But you have no right to refuse to be vaccinated against a contagious disease,’ he said…

“The Supreme Court has recognized each state’s ‘police power’… which gives the state authority to enact health laws, including quarantine and vaccination requirements, to protect public health. The argument against forcible vaccination is based on the 14th Amendment’s provision that no state ‘shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.’

“But Dershowitz points to the Supreme Court’s Jacobson v. Massachusetts decision in 1905, which concluded a state may require vaccination if the board of health deems it necessary for public health or safety…”

Newsmax added on May 19 that, according to Dershowitz, “the government can provide an alternative to those who do not want to be vaccinated: Live in your home and ‘never, ever leave your home’ or ‘live in a bubble.’ But if you want to interact with other people, you can’t [refuse to be vaccinated].”

Centipede Nation wrote on May 17, 2020:

“Alan Dershowitz… has stated that he hopes the government mandates the latest vaccine and that he’ll be the first in line to receive it. He also stated that he’ll want to be in front of the Supreme Court to argue for its legitimacy. On the other end, Dershowitz also seems to be a little confused as he states that he and his family would get vaccinated only if it’s safe. The contradiction seems to fly right over his head as this is the exact point vaccine-skeptics also share. For some reason, he thinks these people are conspiracy theorists and should be forced to stay in their homes if they refuse the vaccine.

“He… went on to state that… if the majority of the population agree and support public health measures that include mandatory vaccinations, then you have to be vaccinated…

“The Supreme Court has long recognized that ‘involuntary confinement of an individual for any reason, is a deprivation of liberty which the State cannot accomplish without due process of law,’ and some justices have called freedom from such confinement fundamental in nature. While it has not decided a case that involved isolation or quarantine for disease, it has held that civil commitment for mental illness is unconstitutional unless a judge determines the person is dangerous by reason of a mental illness…”

By using twisted “legal” logic, one might argue in the way that Dershowitz does, we surely hope that Dershowitz is wrong with his analysis, because forcible vaccinations against the will of healthy persons are the hallmark of a police state and of totalitarian dictatorship.

In addition, as Focus reported on May 19, the Chairman of the World Medical Association, Frank Ulrich Montgomery, supported mandatory vaccinations against the coronavirus. “I was for mandatory vaccinations against measles, and I am for mandatory vaccinations“ against the coronavirus, he said.

“The German Government emphasized again on Monday that there will be no mandatory vaccinations against the coronavirus, according to the Deputy Government Spokesperson Ulrike Demmer.

“Montgomery demanded that the German Government must see to it with legal injunctions that residents of old people‘s and nursing homes and personnel in clinics must be vaccinated. He said: ‘There will be people who do not want to be vaccinated. If they become infected, then they are a danger for those who cannot be vaccinated because of medical reasons. We must therefore vaccinate as many people as possible.”

Again, it is the doctors and medical scientists who want to rule the world.

Coronavirus Cure without a Vaccine?

 Tweaktown wrote on May 20:

“Chinese researchers are claiming that a newly developed drug can cure the coronavirus COVID-19 without the need of a vaccine. The claims are coming out of a Peking University, a major research university located in Beijing, China. According to the director of the university, Sunney Xie, who spoke to AFP, the drug has currently only been tested on mice but has shown extremely promising results. Xie says that the drug reduces the viral load (the amount of the virus found in a body) ‘by a factor of 2,500’, which is an astronomical amount.

“So how did this happen? The drug uses ‘neutralizing antibodies’… the researchers sourced these antibodies from blood samples of patients who have successfully recovered from the virus… the researchers are… isolating those antibodies that have already fought the disease off once, and then injecting them into the bloodstream of a new host. This process gives the new host’s body a figurative blueprint on how to fight off the live virus if it comes into contact with it. Xie’s team is currently preparing for human trials.”

Dr. Fauci Under Attack

Natural Health wrote on May 16:

“Dr. Judy Mikovits, PhD., has made some jaw-dropping allegations about [Anthony Fauci]… She is the former research director of the chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) research organization Whittemore Peterson Institute (WPI) from 2006 to 2011. Reports also say she was a former colleague of Dr. Fauci who studied other conditions as well, including HIV/AIDS (the subject of her 1991 doctoral thesis) and cancer.

“She alleges that Dr. Fauci… sabotaged her work investigating a potential cause of cancer, a rodent virus known as xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV)…

“A 2009 paper she co-authored and published in the peer-reviewed journal Science – which explored the link between chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and XMRV – was later fully retracted. Interestingly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says on their website that XMRV has been identified in patients with prostate cancer as early as 2006. The CDC also notes that XMRV is presumed to be able to be ‘transmitted through blood transfusion’ and that ‘the safety of blood could be a concern if XMRV … is confirmed to cause human illness and disease.’ Mikovits was fired from WPI after her paper was retracted. [Of course, finding a cure for a sickness would not necessitate the development and use of ongoing costly medication or a vaccine.]

“Dr. Mikovits was arrested in November 2011 and charged for allegedly stealing property from WPI, including laboratory notebooks and computer data. She was released five days later and not long after the charges were dropped. Many allege the arrest was nothing more than a thinly-veiled attempt to silence and intimidate her, since she has been a vocal critic of supposed government corruption related to vaccines.

“Regarding COVID-19, Dr. Mikovits is on record stating that she believes SARS-CoV-2 was manipulated within a laboratory setting. She bases her claims on what she says is evidence for ‘accelerated viral evolution’ that could only have come from human intervention. According to Science, it is true that NIAID had been funding a U.S.-based group working with Wuhan lab, but that funding has since been stopped.

“Dr. Mikovits also claims, along with others, that the COVID-19 pandemic was maliciously designed as a way to advance the agenda Big Pharma and vaccines researchers seeking to gain profit and launch mass immunization campaigns.

“Dr. Mikovits is also the author of a bestselling book Plague of Corruption: Restoring Faith in the Promise of Science, ‘a behind the scenes look at the issues and egos which will determine the future health of humanity.’ Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wrote the foreword for the book, which was co-authored by Kent Heckenlively.

“According to mainstream media critics, virtually all of Mikovits’ statements are ‘untrue or overexagerrated’… So, is she an intrepid truth-seeker or self-serving aggrandizer? Are there any legitimate kernels of truth in the claims that she and others make…?”

Many of Mikovits’ statements and claims are contained in videos about and by her, which were seen by millions of viewers and then blocked and deleted, only to be reposted, blocked and deleted, reposted again… and so on… .

Bill Gates: New Coronavirus Vaccine, if Developed, Could Injure or Kill up to 700,000 People

Natural News reported on May 17:

“In his rush to develop one, two, or even seven different vaccines for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19), billionaire software tycoon Bill Gates openly admitted that upwards of 700,000 people could become injured or die from these jabs.

“The Microsoft co-founder and prominent eugenicist has been more outspoken in recent days than perhaps ever before about his desire to vaccinate the entire world, in this case as soon as possible for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19). And the reality is that many more will die from the vaccine than from the virus itself.

“Speaking during a recent segment on CNBC, Gates admitted that in order to make vaccines ‘work’ for the most vulnerable groups, they have to be super-charged, in a sense. And this super-charging means that some people are going to be injured or killed as a result. ‘We clearly need a vaccine that works in the upper age range because they’re most at risk of that,’ Gates stated about his plans for Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination. ‘And doing that so that you amp it up so that it works in older people, and yet you don’t have side effects, if we have one in 10,000 side effects that’s way more, 700,000 people who will suffer from that.’

“During this same interview, Gates admitted… that influenza vaccines are pretty much useless in older people. Though supposedly high-risk seniors are pushed to get their flu shots annually, Gates confessed to the fact that this yearly ritual does nothing to protect them against the flu…

“In his own analysis, Martin Armstrong of Armstrong Economics crunched the data and found that the number of deaths around the world that are being attributed to the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pales in comparison to the number of people who will be injured or killed by Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines, based on Gates’ own admission…

“Vaccine experiments like the ones Gates is pushing for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) have been tried before… Back in the ’70s, the United States rolled out a vaccine for ‘swine flu’ that was administered to some 45 million people over the course of 10 weeks. This vaccination effort was halted, however, after it was discovered that no cases of swine flu were even detected outside of the military base where it was said to have originated. Meanwhile, one in 100,000 vaccinated individuals ended up suffering from side effects that included Guillain-Barré syndrome, while another 53 died…”

This is deeply upsetting. Is the mass media purposefully suppressing this kind of information, and if so, why?

Ongoing Demonstrations in Germany against Governmental Restrictions

AFP wrote on May 16:

“Angered by a slew of lockdown measures, purported vaccine plans or alleged state surveillance, thousands took to the streets on Saturday in Germany in a growing wave of demonstrations that has alarmed even Chancellor Angela Merkel

“The growing demonstrations have sparked comparison to the anti-Muslim Pegida marches at the height of Europe’s refugee crisis in 2015, raising questions over whether the strong support that Merkel is currently enjoying due to her handling of the virus crisis could evaporate… A recent poll commissioned by the Spiegel news magazine found that almost one in four Germans surveyed voiced ‘understanding’ for the demonstrations. The development has shocked the political establishment

“[Opposition AfD] Party co-chief Alexander Gauland said it was ‘completely correct that people are exercising their fundamental rights and demonstrating against corona measures.’ Any resulting split in society over the demonstrations should not be blamed on the protesters, but on ‘the sweeping vilification of participants as right-wing extremists, nutcases or conspiracy theorists’, he charged.

“… Spiegel… cited the urgent need for Merkel to get a grip on the situation…”

Focus reported on May 19 that a high school (“Gymnasium”) in Germany offers “voluntary” coronavirus tests, but those who are not tested will be identified with a green mark, and other rules will apply to them than those who have been tested. This is SHAMEFUL and really reminds one of the Yellow Badges for Jews in the Third Reich.   

Suppressing Criticism in Germany?

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 15:

“Questioning the intelligence of anyone who criticizes coronavirus protection measures shows we haven’t learned from the polarization of the past and shuts the door on any chance for dialogue… What yesterday was considered a conspiracy theory has now become widely accepted fact… And yet many journalists, analysts and politicians still have a need to put everyone who thinks differently into a clear-cut cubbyhole…

“People have put up with so much over the last few weeks: Following stay-at-home orders and contact bans, trying to understand contradictory experts’ opinions on face masks, doubling time and reproduction rates, somehow managing to work from home and check their children’s schoolwork. Others were forced into a government-sponsored short-time scheme and sometimes into existential distress. And then when these very people want to express their displeasure, concern or skepticism, they are, at best, called perfectly normal citizens who let themselves be manipulated by ‘conspiracy theorists!’

Has it really come to the point where all critics and demonstrators need to hold up a disclaimer saying that they do not necessarily agree with everything that is said on stage?… Is all criticism forbidden…?

“A spiral of polarization looms ahead, as the website for the weekly newspaper Die Zeit accurately described: ‘A growing protest leads to added criticism and attention, which leads to even more protests.’… There is something of déjà-vu about it: five years ago, the much-vaunted ‘welcome culture’ still prevailed in Germany, and, in many opinion pieces, anyone who voiced reservations about German refugee policy was labeled a far-right radical. But ostracizing any form [of] criticism was a spectacular failure…

“The crazy thing is that German Chancellor Angela Merkel has long since responded to the ‘concerns of the citizens’ by signing a refugee agreement with Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan and a more consistent deportation policy. But… she’s never come out and said it

“It seems that little has been learned from the previous spiral of polarization as from previous pandemics. A democracy worthy of the name must be able to withstand controversial debates and protests without creating insurmountable rifts. It is simply not enough to muzzle unwelcome criticism with derogative classifications… The very people who consider themselves the champions of democracy should refrain from using such exclusionary labels…”

This is so true, but many just REFUSE to listen.

Angela Merkel’s New Challenges

Express wrote on May 19:

“ANGELA Merkel is gearing up for one last, desperate battle to make her mark on the EU in the shadow of coronavirus, which poses a threat to the bloc’s very existence, Germany’s ambassador to Brussels, Michael Clauss, has warned in a leaked memo.

“Germany is due to take over the Presidency of the European Council in July for the first time in 13 years – but the pandemic has dramatically changed the landscape, and piled the pressure on Mrs. Merkel, 65, who is scheduled to step down as Chancellor next year. The rotating Presidency – currently held by Croatia – will switch to Germany on July 1, with a total of 17 ministerial meetings planned between July and October involving leaders from across the bloc, as well as the EU-China summit which had been planned for Leipzig in September. For Mrs Merkel, it represents an opportunity at a crucial time, with the UK due to complete the process of Brexit on December 31.

“However, in the classified dispatch to Berlin, leaked to German magazine Der Spiegel, Mr Clauss warned: ‘The first experiences with the new reality show that our presidency will no longer be able to take place in the planned way… From now on, the focus will be on the ability of the European institutions to act, crisis management, exit and reconstruction – possibly maintaining the EU integration itself.’…

“Mrs Merkel, who has been German Chancellor since 2005, is under increasing pressure as the extent of the economic damage wrought by the pandemic becomes apparent. Speaking today about the latest survey conducted by the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry, President Eric Schweitzer predicted a 10 percent contraction in Germany’s economy… When we look around the world, we now feel all the signs of a global economic crisis.’

“Mrs Merkel has also had to contend with persistent rumours about her health after a spate of episodes in which she visibly shook in public, with some attributing it to an underlying medical condition…”

EU’s Travel Recommendations, If Adopted, May Lead to Inflation

Barron’s wrote on May 16:

“The European Commission recently published guidance on ‘how to safely resume travel.’ If its proposals are widely adopted, travel is going to get more complicated… And it might get more expensive too…

“It… recommends ‘measures to limit contact’ between workers and passengers, as well as passenger-to-passenger contact. That includes the use of personal protective equipment, such as masks as well as barriers, reduced tables in common areas, more cleaning, and reconfigured boarding procedures. The commission is also advocating ‘reducing, where feasible, the density of passengers’ as well. That means fewer people on planes and trains.

“Another reality for future travelers might be the use of ‘voluntary’ contact-tracing apps… to alert people who have come in contact with an infected person.

“Less traveler ‘density’ could mean higher prices, with fewer people bearing a larger portion of the costs… Many of the proposed changes sound inflationary

“… the travel sector will be smaller than it was in the recent past. That realization… has hammered the airline, aerospace, and tourism industries. A lot of pain has been felt by travel investors in 2020. Aerospace supplier stocks… are down about 50% year to date. Stock in Boeing… is down more than 60% so far in 2020…

Cruise operator shares are down about 75%, hotels stock have fallen… about 40%. All the drops are far worse than the comparable falls of the Dow Jones Industrial Average.”

In their attempts to solve or at least deal with the “coronavirus crisis,” overzealous and many times ignorant governmental officials have been literally destroying large sectors of the business community and the economy.

Many Travelers Still Arrive from China and other Countries

 CBS New York wrote on May 19:

“CBS2 has learned some of the same international flights that have long been blamed for causing coronavirus to explode in our area are still operating… in the last two weeks international flights to Newark Liberty Airport and John F. Kennedy Airport have arrived from China, South Korea, and much of Europe, including the United Kingdom and Italy… ‘What is being done now to screen those travelers? What is the step-by-step process?’… ‘That’s the federal government, that’s Border and Customs control,’ Cuomo responded… ‘There is coordination, but they determine who comes, who doesn’t come, is purely federal, and they determine what procedures and practices are in place…’

“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. customs and Border Protection… would only say there is an ‘enhanced entry screening,’ adding the passenger is asked about medical history, current condition, and some are having their temperature taken… Customs said state and local officials are ensuring compliance, but New Jersey and New York health officials acknowledge they are not tracking travelers once they land. ‘So how do you make sure they stay quarantined for 14 days?’… ‘It’s not a state role,’ the governor (Cuomo) reiterated. But it could become the state’s problem as airlines increase international flights.”

Trump Threatens WHO to Pull US Membership and Funding

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 19:

“Donald Trump has written a furious letter to the World Health Organization’s director-general, threatening to pull US membership and funding…

“Trump’s argument is extremely blunt: he wrote that the WHO had shown an ‘an alarming lack of independence’’ from China in its COVID-19 response, and that the US will leave if there aren’t ‘substantive improvements’ in the next 30 days… ‘I cannot allow American taxpayer dollars to continue to finance an organization that, in its present state, is so clearly not serving America’s interests,’ Trump wrote…

“The US is the world’s largest donor to the WHO — it contributed nearly 15% of its two-year budget for 2018-2019. If Washington were to stop contributing to the agency it would blow a sizeable hole in WHO funds. That’s not ideal, to say the least, especially in the middle of a global pandemic. The WHO would have to find alternative funding — fast.

“… Beijing wasn’t too impressed. Zhao Lijian, a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, called the letter slanderous and said the US decision to stop WHO contributions was a violation of its international responsibilities…

“In a resolution at the World Health Assembly on Tuesday, member states called for… ‘universal, timely and equitable access’ to health technologies to help fight the pandemic… Many of the members, in particular European Union countries, are ‘trying to reinforce this organization, which is greatly needed today…’”

Is the EU going to replace the USA?

Division in the USA

npr wrote on May 15:

“… there are fears that the pandemic — especially landing in an election year — has the potential to inflame divisions to dangerous levels if left unchecked… Polling shows that masking brings the starkest partisan breakdown of any protective measure: 76% of Democrats say they wear a mask when leaving home, compared with 59% of Republicans…”

Fox News wrote on May 16 the following, authored by Tucker Carlson:

“The country appears to be splitting into two hemispheres before our eyes: There are those places where public officials are allowing science to guide their decisions; states like that are cautiously beginning to relax their lockdowns and finding no spike in illness as they do it. Those are the free states. And then there’s the other half of the country, the places where you’re glad you don’t live right now. In those places, power-drunk politicians crow about science but resolutely ignore its findings… Their decisions are driven by ambition, political calculation and the pure animal joy of controlling other people’s lives. Places like that are tightening their lockdowns even now.

“Maybe no place in the country represents the authoritarian approach, the Chinese approach, more starkly than Los Angeles does… Los Angeles Mayor Gil Garcetti has now extended the lockdown through the end of July… using law enforcement, liberally, to make certain that his citizens obey his orders. Police say they’ve brought criminal charges against at least 60 ‘non-essential’ businesses for the crime of going to work. Countless other businesses have shut forever. They’re not coming back.

“The citizens who remain stuck in Los Angeles are effectively hostages of the mayor. Garcetti has demanded that anyone who goes outside, for any reason, as the heat rises in L.A.,  must wear a mask. It goes without saying there [is] no science to back up this order — or any of Garcetti’s so-called health decisions. In fact, it’s possible that requiring masks outside will not prevent a single [person] from being infected in Los Angeles

“Garcetti explains that anyone who goes to the beach must make certain not to touch dry sand. Wet sand is fine. Dry sand is now illegal… This… is the expression of an autocrat… It means that America’s second-largest city has fallen under the total control of a neurotic megalomaniac, who’s terrified of dry sand. Eric Garcetti’s personal phobias are now law in Los Angeles…

“In New Jersey, for example, citizens are still banned from assembling to worship together as they choose. That’s a direct violation of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution…”

The example of Los Angeles is indeed stupid and outrageous. How long will the people of Los Angeles put up with such ridiculous autocratic nonsensical orders? And what will happen if they refuse? Are we going to experience hostility, clashes, and worse?

Justice Department Warns California Coronavirus Rules May Violate Religious Freedoms

The Los Angeles Times wrote on May 19:

“The measures Gov. Gavin Newsom enacted to slow the spread of the coronavirus and his plans to unwind them may discriminate against religious groups and violate their constitutional rights, the U.S. Justice Department warned in a letter Tuesday. In a three-page letter to the governor, Eric S. Dreiband, an assistant attorney general and the head of the Justice Department’s civil rights division, said Newsom had shown ‘unequal treatment of faith communities’ in restricting their abilities to gather and ultimately reopen. ‘Simply put, there is no pandemic exception to the U.S. Constitution and its Bill of Rights,’ Dreiband wrote.

“Newsom’s office had no comment beyond confirming that it had received the letter. Dreiband raised issues both with California’s stay-at-home order and Newsom’s plan to roll it back. While worshipers cannot gather in person, even while following social distancing protocols, California has deemed employees in the entertainment and e-commerce industries essential and allowed them to continue working in person, ‘regardless of whether the product they are selling and shipping are life-preserving products or not,’ Dreiband said. ‘This facially discriminates against religious exercise,’ he said.

“Moreover, Dreiband wrote, the governor has permitted restaurants, shopping malls and offices to resume operations in the second phase of his plan to reopen California’s economy, but houses of worship cannot hold in-person services until its third, later phase. ‘The Constitution calls for California to do more to accommodate religious worship, including in stage 2 of the reopening plan,’ Dreiband said.

“In April, the Justice Department intervened in a dispute between a Mississippi church and the city of Greenville, whose police officers had broken up a service held in the church’s parking lot. At the time, Atty. Gen. William Barr said religious groups ‘must not be singled out for special burdens.’”

Oregon Supreme Court Stays Order Declaring Governmental Restrictions Null and Void

The Associated Press wrote on May 18:

“The Oregon Supreme Court late Monday halted a rural judge’s order earlier in the day that had tossed out statewide coronavirus restrictions imposed by Democratic Gov. Kate Brown. [The lower court had stated that the order by Governor Brown was null and void and unenforceable.] Baker County Circuit Judge Matthew Shirtcliff had ruled that Brown erred by not seeking the Legislature’s approval to extend the stay-at-home orders beyond a 28-day limit. The Supreme Court’s ruling stays Shirtcliff’s decision pending review by all the high court justices…

“The lower court judge had issued his opinion in response to a lawsuit filed earlier this month by 10 churches around Oregon that argued the state’s social-distancing directives were unconstitutional. In a seven-page opinion, Shirtcliff wrote that the damage to Oregonians and their livelihood was greater than the dangers presented by the coronavirus. He also noted that other businesses deemed essential, such as grocery stores, had been allowed to remain open even with large numbers of people present and have relied on masks, social distancing and other measures to protect the public…

“Courts in other states have ruled against similar orders. The Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down Gov. Tony Evers’ stay-at-home order last week, ruling that his administration overstepped its authority when it extended the order for another month without consulting legislators. A federal judge in North Carolina on Saturday sided with conservative Christian leaders and blocked the enforcement of restrictions that Gov. Roy Cooper ordered affecting indoor religious services during the pandemic

“In Louisiana, however, a federal judge refused a minister’s request to temporarily halt Gov. John Bel Edwards’ stay-at-home order, which expired that same day…”

It seems to us, based on Oregon law, that the restrictions by Governor Brown ARE in fact null and void. Why the Oregon Supreme Court stayed the order of the rural judge is a mystery.

There is also much talk of a second pandemic in the fall.

Pat Buchanan uttered the following opinion, as published on May 18 by WND:

“Yet, even if the pandemic returns in the fall, the establishment cannot keep the country closed indefinitely. Prediction: If the people conclude they have done all they can do to mitigate the suffering from a virus they cannot eradicate, they will resist the imposition of another shutdown, and the establishment will have neither the will nor ability to push them back into their homes…”

We will see…

Staggering Unemployment Numbers in the USA

 The Associated Press wrote on May 21:

“The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits in the two months since the coronavirus took hold in the U.S. has swelled to nearly 39 million, the government reported Thursday,… a job-market collapse unprecedented in its speed.”

Jordan and Europe on Collision Course with Israel

Breaking Israel News wrote on May 17:

“Jordan’s King Abdullah warned of ‘massive conflict’ between his country and Israel if the Jewish state proceeds with annexing territory this summer in Judea and Samaria… He also suggested that his country could pull out of its peace agreement with Israel. Jordan and Egypt are the only Arab nations that formally recognize the Jewish state…

“The comments by the Jordanian leader come as several European nations are pushing for punitive action against Israel if the country forges ahead with annexation… U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman said that Washington would not oppose Israeli annexation after July 1.”

The Times of Israel added on May 16:

“Jordan has been lobbying the EU to take ‘practical steps’ to make sure annexation doesn’t happen.”

Psalm 83 comes to mind. Verses 8 and 9 refer to Ammon and the sons of Lot (both referring to modern Jordan) and verse 9 refers to Assur (modern Germany).

Abbas Breaks with Israel and USA

JTA wrote on May 19:

“Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas declared an end to all agreements with Israel, including security cooperation, effectively turning over to Israel’s government the running of the entire West Bank. ‘The Palestine Liberation Organization and the State of Palestine are absolved, as of today, of all the agreements and understandings with the American and Israeli governments and of all the commitments based on these understandings and agreements, including the security ones,’ Abbas said in a speech in Ramallah, which functions as the capital of the Palestinian Authority…

“Abbas said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plans to annex parts of the West Bank left him no choice, and he blamed the Trump administration’s ‘peace vision’ unveiled in January… Abbas said the PLO remained committed to the two-state outcome…

“The U.S. has little leverage to use on Abbas, with the administration having cut almost all assistance, except money for security cooperation.”

Israeli Court Tells Netanyahu He Must Appear at Start of Trial

The Algemeiner wrote on May 20:

“An Israeli court rejected on Wednesday a request by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to be absent from the opening of his corruption trial next week, saying he must abide by the practice of hearing the charges in person. Netanyahu had asked Jerusalem District Court to be excused from his May 24 arraignment, deeming the event a formality and arguing that bringing his bodyguards would be a waste of public funds and a strain on coronavirus rules against congregations.

“Some critics, however, believed Netanyahu was trying to reduce the optics of the first criminal prosecution of a sitting Israeli prime minister. Indicted for bribery, fraud and breach in three long-running cases, he denies wrongdoing. ‘It is incumbent upon the requester, as with all other defendants, to appear and have his say in court,’ the three-judge panel said in its ruling.”

Europe’s Army Is Taking Shape

Express wrote on May 6:

“URSULA VON DER LEYEN has hinted at the formation of a European army on a number of occasions, and in a startling article she claimed the idea is ‘already taking shape’. The European Commission President wrote an article in 2019 titled ‘Europe is forming an army’ when she was still a Defence minister in Angela Merkel’s government. [She argued that the] continent needs to be self-sufficient in defending itself, and can do so by closely integrating its military forces. She added in her article for Handelsblatt: ‘Europe has to build an army.’…

“This came after Mr Juncker had also expressed interest in an EU military force. In March 2015, he said: ‘Such an army would help us to build a common foreign and security policy, as well as jointly assume the responsibilities of Europe in the world. A common army among the Europeans would convey to Russia that we are serious about defending the values of the European Union.’”

Europe WILL develop a mighty and powerful army… and much sooner than many think.

“No More EU Concessions to the UK”

BBC News wrote on May 19:

“Europe’s economic problems will not force the EU to make more concessions to the UK over Brexit or any trade deal, the French finance minister Bruno Le Maire has said. UK minister Michael Gove had previously said the Covid crisis would in some respects ‘concentrate the minds of the EU negotiators.’

“But Mr Le Maire told Hardtalk’s Stephen Sackur: ‘There won’t be any further concession from the EU and on the contrary I think this economic crisis will lead to the reinforcement of the EU, will lead to more solidarity among member states and we are not ready to make concessions that might jeopardise the EU construction.’”

US Ambassador Accuses Germany of Undermining NATO

Reuters wrote on May 14:

“The U.S. ambassador in Berlin has accused Germany of undermining NATO’s nuclear deterrent, taking aim at Chancellor Angela Merkel’s junior coalition partners after some of their leaders called for nuclear disarmament.

“Rolf Muetzenich, parliamentary leader of the Social Democrats (SPD), called earlier this month for the withdrawal of all U.S. nuclear weapons from Germany – a view that divides his left-leaning party and is not shared by Merkel’s conservatives.

“In an opinion piece for German newspaper Die Welt, Ambassador Richard Grenell wrote: ‘Instead of undermining the solidarity that forms the basis of NATO’s nuclear deterrence, it is now time for Germany to meet its commitments to its allies and to continuously invest in NATO’s nuclear participation.’

“‘Germany’s political leadership, especially that of the SPD, must now make it clear the federal republic is honouring these commitments and standing by its allies,’ added Grenell, who is also U.S. President Donald Trump’s acting national intelligence chief.

“The remarks are the latest twist in relations between Berlin and Washington that have often been strained during Trump’s presidency. The president has pressed Germany to raise its defence spending and accused Berlin of being a ‘captive’ of Russia due to its energy reliance. But Grenell’s comments also come a day after Merkel cited ‘hard evidence’ that Russia was behind a 2015 hacker attack on her Bundestag office — an assault that she said ‘pains me’.

“‘The dangers threatening peace in Europe are not an “anachronism”, as some would have us believe,’ Grenell said. ‘The Russian invasion of Ukraine, the deployment of new nuclear-weapon-capable missiles by Russia on the periphery of Europe and new capabilities of China, North Korea and other countries make it clear that the threat is all too present.’”

While the threat from Russia is “all too present” for Germany, the relationship between Berlin and Washington is deteriorating consistently and the rift is widening. This is another reason why Germany is strongly supporting and working towards a “self-sufficient” European army.

The Pope’s Wrong Understanding of True Christianity

Crux Now wrote on May 15:

Christians must follow the Ten Commandments, of course, but Christianity is not about following rules, it is about having a relationship with Jesus, Pope Francis said… the pope focused on… the account of the first Christian converts from paganism being ‘disturbed’ by other Christians who insisted the converts must first become Jewish and follow all Jewish laws and customs… ‘Theirs was a religion of prescriptions and, in that way, they took away the freedom of the Spirit,’ who had brought the converts directly to Christ without first having them become Jewish… ‘the Spirit of God is freedom,’ the pope said.

“The problem of individuals or groups trying to impose extra conditions on believers was present from the beginning of Christianity and continues in some quarters of the church today, he said… ‘In our own time, we have seen some church organizations that seem to be well organized, to work well, but they are all rigid… and then we have discovered the corruption that was inside, including in the founders.’”

IF the Pope believes that the Ten Commandments must be followed, “of course,” then he must teach and keep the Fourth Commandment of the Sabbath instead of Sunday. The Bible says that true Christians are spiritual Jews. And what about the corruption within the Roman Catholic Church?

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

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

This Week in the News

Ghosts and Self-Isolation

DNYUZ wrote on May 14:

 “For those whose experience of self-isolation involves what they believe to be a ghost, their days are punctuated not just by Zoom meetings or home schooling, but by disembodied voices, shadowy figures, misbehaving electronics, invisible cats… and even, in some cases… free-floating, full-torso vaporous apparitions…

“In 1999, immediately before Y2K… a spike in reported ghost and poltergeist activity [was reported], as well as U.F.O. sightings… [It could] have something to do with our heightened state of anxiety… Times of great unease…, when there is an increased drive to find meaning in chaos, can lend themselves to perceived hauntings…

 “In quarantine… you are trapped at home… it’s comforting to think that there’s a supernatural agent here with you…”

For important information on this subject, please view our new StandingWatch program, titled “Haunted Houses and Ghosts during Self-Isolation?”  

Boris Johnson Wants to Impose Two Week Quarantine on Air Travelers

Business Insider wrote on May 10:

“[Boris] Johnson… announced plans to, at a future date, impose a two-week quarantine on people arriving in the country by air… ‘To prevent re-infection from abroad, I am serving notice that it will soon be the time… to impose quarantine on people coming into this country by air,’ he said. The prime minister did not explain whether the same restrictions would apply to those arriving in the UK by sea or train.”

In fact, Johnson did not explain anything. Airlines already responded by saying that this would be their ruin, as nobody would want to come to the UK anymore. Express added on May 11 that, due to a special agreement, “Britain will not quarantine travellers coming into the UK from France.”

Germany is facing similar challenges. Note the next articles.

Travel Ban… Some Light at the End of the Tunnel?

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 8:

“The European Commission on Friday recommended extending travel restrictions for non-EU nationals at the bloc’s external borders until June 15, saying ‘the situation remains fragile both in Europe and worldwide.’…

“EU officials said frictionless travel within the bloc’s internal borders and the visa-free Schengen area would be prioritized over non-essential travel from non-EU countries. ‘Restrictions on free movement and internal border controls will need to be lifted gradually before we can remove restrictions at the external borders and guarantee access to the EU for non-EU residents for non-essential travel,’ said Ylva Johansson, EU Commission for Home Affairs….

“Going forward, the European Commission said, ‘Any further prolongation of the travel restriction beyond June 15, 2020, would need to be assessed again, based on the evolution of the epidemiological situation.’”

Breitbart wrote on May 13:

“The German government is recommending that a requirement for people arriving from other countries in Europe to self-quarantine for 14 days be dropped. Germany last month imposed a requirement for all people arriving in the country to go straight home and stay there for two weeks, except those who were on very short trips, commuting to their jobs, transporting goods or in some other essential functions.

“A court in the northern state of Lower Saxony suspended the rule for that region this week. Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said Wednesday he is recommending that state governments, which are responsible for quarantines, drop the requirement for travelers from other European countries but maintain it for arrivals from other nations such as the United States and Russia.”

It will have to be seen what is going to happen after June 15. We hope and pray that travel bans between the USA and Europe will be lifted by then, and that the discriminatory self-quarantine regulations for 14 days especially towards US travelers will be dropped as well.  

German Tourism Industry Suffers with the Support of Many Germans

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 10:

“… every third job in the German tourism sector could be lost… around a million… of the some 3 million people working in the sector in Germany were at risk of becoming unemployed… 70% were already working short-time… [It was felt that] big online companies [would be] dominating the market while smaller travel agencies and tour operators [would disappear].

“The tourism industry in Germany is likely also to suffer under the current unwillingness of Germans to travel amid the uncertainties created by the coronavirus crisis. A recent YouGov survey showed that almost half of Germans (48%) do not want to see European borders reopened for the summer holidays… Some 42% had dropped the idea of taking a holiday at all…”

This happens when fear and panic reigns.

Large Demonstrations in Germany

Deutsche Welle wrote on March 9:

“Over 3,000 people rallied in Munich and thousands more gathered in Stuttgart and across Germany [including Berlin] on Saturday to demand the lifting of restrictions ordered by the German authorities…

“The protesters accuse politicians and medical workers of spreading panic and infringing on the population’s rights with the prolonged lockdown. Some of the rallies included anti-vaccination activists

“Over two-thirds of German residents support the need for social distancing, according to the latest research published by the official BfR Institute. However, this still marks a sharp drop from the numbers reported in March, when 92% supported the restrictions.”

Bild Online reported that over 15,000 demonstrators protested in Germany over the weekend. As governmental restrictions continue, more and more Germans will be found opposing the same. The accuracy of above-quoted figures of alleged approval by the majority of Germans must be disputed anyhow, based on the many comments on social media. 

Germany Bans Conversion of Gays who are Minors

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 8:

“German lawmakers voted to pass a law on Thursday banning so called ‘conversion therapies’ that are aimed at suppressing sexual orientation or gender identity. ‘Homosexuality is not an illness,’ said Health Minister Jens Spahn who is openly gay. ‘Therefore the term therapy is already misleading.’

“Under the new law, advertising or offering conversion therapy will be prohibited for children up to the age of 18. Violators can be fined up to up to €30,000 ($33,000) or sentenced to up to one year in prison. Parents and guardians who force their children to undergo the programs can also be charged for violating their duty of care… the new law… carries punishments as well if an adult consented to the therapy after being deceived, coerced or threatened…

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives and their Social Democrat (SPD) coalition partners voted in favor of the ban, as well as the business-friendly Free Democrats (FDP). The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) largely abstained, except for one vote against the law. The Left Party and the Greens also abstained from the vote, but argued that the law didn’t go far enough to protect young adults…”

We agree with Jens Spahn that homosexuality is not an illness. According to the Bible, it is an abomination.

New Controversial Law in France

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 13:

“Legislation that passed the National Assembly on Wednesday gives platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and Snapchat a [24 hour] deadline to remove… ‘manifestly illicit’ [posts] — such as hate speech, racist comments, or religious bigotry

“The law also sets up a prosecutor specialized in digital content and a government unit to observe online hate speech… The law has been severely criticized…

“Arguing against the law on Wednesday, conservative lawmaker Constance Le Grip warned of a danger to ‘in a way, entrust the policing of thought and expression’ to private businesses mostly based in foreign countries. Populist leader Marine Le Pen said the law was ‘a serious violation of the freedom of expression.’”

In this, Le Pen is absolutely correct. In addition, the definition of hate speech and religious bigotry is open to arbitrary interpretation and discrimination.

“The US Government Is Failing Us”

Reuters wrote on May 7:

“Since losing her position at the makeup counter at the Macy’s department store in Orlando, Florida, on March 28, Alejandra spends her days trying to secure the unemployment benefits that should have arrived weeks ago, sometimes placing more than 100 calls a day.

“The online application, a 10-hour ordeal of error messages, ended with a notice that her identity could not be verified. If she’s lucky, she’ll reach a representative who will say there’s nothing they can do to help. Otherwise, it’s a busy signal, or an hours-long wait on hold, followed by a sudden hang-up…

“In the past six weeks, states have struggled to process over 33 million jobless claims, more than they typically see in a year. That figure does not capture those who have been unable to even file a claim due to bureaucratic hurdles — up to 14 million more, according to an Economic Policy Institute study released last week.”

There is no question that our entire system is breaking down.

Unemployment in the USA MUCH WORSE than Previously Announced

In a related article, Reuters wrote on May 8:

“Millions of U.S. residents were counted as employed in April despite having no job, suggesting April’s true unemployment rate was closer to 20%, much higher than the official 14.7% reported, the Labor Department said Friday. The jobless rate should have included people on temporary unpaid leave, furloughed because of the coronavirus pandemic, the government said.

“But responses to the survey by which the data was collected show 11.5 million people were categorized as employed but absent from work because of vacation, parental leave or other reasons, but including 8.1 million absent for ‘unspecified’ reasons, a group that usually numbers about 620,000… The jobs report probably also undercounted the unemployment rate in a second way – by missing people who wanted work but weren’t looking for it because of near-ubiquitous stay-at-home orders to slow the spread of COVID-19.

“The Labor Department excludes people who are not in an active job search from its count of the unemployed, classifying them instead as out of the workforce. But in April, 9.9 million people who were not in the labor force – one in every 10 – also said they wanted a job, the highest number since the Labor Department began keeping track.”

Another 2.98 million Americans filed jobless claims last week. Taking the last two articles together, the actual number of unemployed workers is even much higher than 20%. This is astronomical.

Katie Miller Tests Positive for the Coronavirus

JTA wrote on May 8:

“Katie Miller, the wife of presidential adviser Stephen Miller and the spokesperson for Vice President Mike Pence, has tested positive for the coronavirus… the news has big implications: her husband, who handles speechwriting and immigration policy duties, is one of Trump’s closest advisers…

“Stephen Miller and Katie Waldman married in February at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C. Rabbi Aryeh Lightstone, a senior adviser to David Friedman, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, officiated.”

We are very sad about anyone who contracts the coronavirus, and that includes of course Katie Miller. But that her husband Stephen Miller is Jewish (his great-grandmother escaped the 1903–06 anti-Jewish pogroms in Belarus and other parts of the Russian Empire to immigrate to the USA) and still pursues the terrible immigration policy of his (note articles on immigration in our Update, Number 922, from May 1, 2020), is even more shameful in light of the appalling atrocities the Jews had to suffer when similar immigration policies prevented them escaping from Nazi Germany.

Listening to the “Experts”?

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on May 12:

“Dr. Anthony Fauci appeared before a US Senate Committee today to warn Senators against opening the country after the coronavirus outbreak. Opening too soon – before a vaccine – will bring needless death and suffering, he said.

“No mention of the needless death and suffering caused by the lockdown itself – cancer treatments cancelled, surgeries cancelled, Depression-level economic collapse, depression, suicide, abuse. How long must we continue listening to this ‘expert’ who has gotten everything wrong thus far?

Fauci’s fascination with and interest in a global vaccine is quite remarkable.

Fox News Moderators Attack Fauci

The Huffington Post wrote on May 13:

“Fox News’ prime time personalities lashed out Tuesday [against] Dr. Anthony Fauci…

“[Tucker] Carlson, in a lengthy monologue, ranted about Fauci being an unelected official, asked whether he should be entrusted with the power to make long-term health recommendations and called him out for what the host said were past contradictory statements… ‘This is not the result of any kind of democratic process at work at all,’ he continued. ‘Yet, in the last four months, Fauci has become one of the most powerful people in the world… Carlson also appeared to call Fauci the ‘chief buffoon of the professional class.’…

“[Laura] Ingraham also seized on Fauci’s unelected status, claiming Democrats want to ‘keep this panic parade going’ until the 2020 election. [Sean] Hannity, meanwhile, accused Fauci of siding with ‘the left’ to favor ‘massive restrictions with no end in sight… It’s time to reopen our country and our economy safely… Americans are a free people. It is up to all of us to calculate the risk and make our own decisions.’”

President Trump needs to be careful not to appear to turn over too much authority to Fauci, given the strong opposing voices of his influential supporters, such as Carlson, Ingraham and Hannity. Trump might be sensing this himself, calling Fauci’s caution on schools reopening “not an acceptable answer” (CNN, May 13). The Independent added on May 13:

“Wisconsin’s Supreme Court has struck down Governor Tony Evers’s stay-at-home order… The court declared that the order was ‘unlawful, invalid and unenforceable’ in its ruling.”

The Danger of Draconian Measures

The Ron Paul Institute published on May 13 the following article from the Rutherford Institute, dated May 12:

“COVID-19 has taken a significant toll on the nation emotionally, physically, and economically, but there are still greater dangers on the horizon… Now there’s talk of mass testing for COVID-19 antibodies, screening checkpointscontact tracing, immunity passports… and snitch tap lines for reporting ‘rule breakers’ to the authorities…

“This war on COVID-19 will be yet another war on the American people, waged with all of the surveillance weaponry at the government’s disposal: thermal imaging cameras, drones, contact tracing, biometric databases, etc. So you see, when you talk about empowering government agents to screen the populace in order to control and prevent spread of this virus, what you’re really talking about is creating a society in which ID cards, round ups, checkpoints and detention centers become routine weapons used by the government to control and suppress the populace, no matter the threat.

“… in Germany, the Nazis required all Jews to carry special stamped ID cards for travel within the country. A prelude to the yellow Star of David badges, these stamped cards were instrumental in identifying Jews for deportation to death camps in Poland…

“In South Africa during apartheid, pass books were used to regulate the movement of black citizens and segregate the population. The Pass Laws Act of 1952 stipulated where, when and for how long a black African could remain in certain areas…

“Through the use of identity cards, Ethiopian authorities were able to identify people with Eritrean affiliation during the mass expulsion of 1998. The Vietnamese government was able to locate ethnic Chinese more easily during their 1978-79 expulsion. The USSR used identity cards to force the relocation of ethnic Koreans (1937), Volga Germans (1941), Kamyks and Karachai (1943), Crimean Tartars, Meshkhetian Turks, Chechens, Ingush and Balkars (1944) and ethnic Greeks (1949). And ethnic Vietnamese were identified for group denationalization through identity cards in Cambodia in 1993, as were the Kurds in Syria in 1962.

“And in the United States, post-9/11, more than 750 Muslim men were rounded up on the basis of their religion and ethnicity and detained for up to eight months. Their experiences echo those of 120,000 Japanese-Americans who were similarly detained 75 years ago following the attack on Pearl Harbor…

“In the case of a national identification system, it might start off as a means of tracking COVID-19 cases in order to ‘safely’ re-open the nation, but it will end up as a means of controlling the American people…”

Many will not agree with such sentiments, perhaps thinking that they are overblown and based on paranoia. But even among those who might be willing to give them a more serious thought, who will really heed those warnings and contemplate the dangers involved? Note also the next article.

Three Reminders from the Bill of Rights

The Ron Paul Institute published on May 13 an article from the “Future of Freedom Foundation”:

“As a condition for accepting the Constitution, the American people… wanted a Bill of Rights to make it clear that the federal government was prohibited from doing the things that are listed in the Bill of Rights…

“First, the Bill of Rights, does not give people rights. Our ancestors understood that rights come from nature and God, not from government. People’s rights preexist government.

“Second, the Bill of Rights consists of prohibitions and restrictions on the federal government… our ancestors knew that the federal power would inevitably attract people to public office who would do the types of things that were being restricted. They would criminalize speech, especially speech that was critical of federal officials. They would ban protests against government. They would force people to subscribe to a certain religion. They would seize people’s guns. They would punish any malefactor by simply having civil or military agents take people into custody, incarcerate them, torture them, or execute them, all without trial by jury and due process of law. The Bill of Rights was to serve as a reminder that federal officials had no legitimate power to do any of these things.

“Third, the Bill of Rights contains no emergency or crisis exception… our ancestors knew that historically crises and emergencies were the time-honored way by which people lost their liberties at the hands of their own government. During such times, people become afraid and their natural tendency is to look to the government to keep them safe and secure. They forget that the biggest threat to their liberty is their very own government, as reflected in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Thus, they eagerly trade away their liberty for ‘security.’ Later, when the crisis or emergency has passed, they discover that the government is unwilling to give up the power it has acquired over them.”

 Americans who are far too willing to unquestionably embrace and agree with draconian governmental restrictions limiting our freedoms would be well advised to remember the contents and the purpose of the Bill of Rights.

Mobilizing the Military

Reuters wrote on May 14:

“President Donald Trump is mobilizing the U.S. military to distribute a novel coronavirus vaccine when one becomes available and will focus first on older Americans… ‘Our military is now being mobilized so at the end of the year, we’re going to be able to give it to a lot of people very, very rapidly.’ …

“The White House has set a target of having 300 million vaccine doses by the end of 2020. No such vaccine for this pathogen has been approved though a number are under development…”

So, will Americans be forced by the military to take that vaccine, however unsafe, if one were to be developed and delivered by the military? 

According to Homeland Security Today, dated May 12, “the Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announce[d] a $138 million contract with ApiJect Systems America for ‘Project Jumpstart’ and ‘RAPID USA,’ which together will dramatically expand U.S. production capability for domestically manufactured, medical-grade injection devices starting by October 2020… the contract will support ‘Jumpstart’ to create a U.S.-based, high-speed supply chain for prefilled syringes beginning later this year… ‘Jumpstart’ will enable the manufacture of more than 100 million prefilled syringes for distribution across the United States by year-end 2020…”

Warning Rejected

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 10:

“Catholic bishops in Germany have dissociated themselves from a letter in which several prominent Catholic clergy question the seriousness of the coronavirus pandemic and the measures taken by governments across the world to stem it…

“The vicar general of the city of Essen, Klaus Pfeffer, said on Facebook that he was ‘simply speechless at what was being published there in the name of the Church and Christianity: crude conspiracy theories without facts or evidence, combined with aggressive right-wing populist rhetoric that sounds alarming.’

“The letter, signed by such Catholic notables as the German Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller [and] Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano from Italy… claims that the pandemic is being exploited to restrict basic rights ‘disproportionately and unjustifiably.’ It also maintains that the contagiousness of the novel coronavirus has been overstated by authorities…

“It strongly criticizes governments around the world for the lockdowns imposed in a bid to stem the spread of the virus, saying that ‘the imposition of these illiberal measures is a disturbing prelude to the realization of a world government beyond all control.’

“In one strongly worded sentence, it claims that ‘centuries of Christian civilization’ could be ‘erased under the pretext of a virus’ and an ‘odious technological tyranny’ established in its place…

“The German Bishops’ Conference had earlier stated that the restrictions in Germany, which also led to the temporary cancelation of church services, were ‘sensible and responsible,’ while urging a ‘responsible and proportionate’ relaxation of the measures when appropriate.”

Actually, the above-quoted article by Deutsche Welle ignores the fact that the appeal was signed by over 80 signatories, including prelates, physicians, lawyers, journalists and academics. One of the signatories is environmental lawyer Robert Francis Kennedy Jr., son of the late Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of John F. Kennedy. The appeal also warned that a vaccine might be developed and manufactured from aborted fetuses.

Schism in the Catholic Church?

Breaking Israel News wrote on May 12:

“A schism is taking place that is tearing the Vatican apart…

“Pope Francis differs from his predecessor in many ways. Francis is the first Jesuit pope, the first from the Americas, the first from the Southern Hemisphere, and the first pope from outside Europe since the Syrian Gregory III, who reigned in the 8th century…

“‘The Church is at a crossroads, trying to figure out what is the future for them,’ [a] source said…”

The Coronavirus Dilemma

Breaking Israel News wrote on May 10:

“… many health systems are requesting that higher-risk patients voluntarily sign an agreement that allows doctors to withhold attempts at resuscitation. In some cases, parents are being asked to sign a form telling the doctors to allow… their children to die.

“… official guidelines for doctors in Italy stated that only patients ‘deemed worthy of intensive care’ should receive such care and decisions based on a ‘distributive justice’ approach balanced the demand for care versus available resources. At the height of the crisis, some regions of Italy were using a cut off of 65-years-old in case of pre-existing comorbidities…

“In the UK, patients with illnesses that are considered ‘life-limiting’ are being asked to sign ‘Do Not Resuscitate’ orders (DNR). Incurable cancer, motorneurone diseases, untreatable heart and lung conditions, are considered to be at especially high risk if they contract COVID-19 and are being asked to sign DNRs while still uninfected. The DNR notes that people with these conditions will be ‘unlikely to be offered hospital admission if they become unwell and certainly will not be offered a ventilator bed.’…

“But it is not just the elderly and sick who are the focus of selective health care. In the UK, parents of vulnerable and sick children are being asked by physicians to sign a DNR if their children catch Covid-19. The order instructs medics not to perform CPR if a patient stops breathing or their heart stops…

“… all of the countries that have legalized euthanasia (Netherlands, Belgium, Columbia, Luxembourg, Canada, Switzerland, and Germany) have universal health care. There are currently six states in the U.S. with legalized euthanasia.”

Doctors have pledged an oath to save life, not to destroy it. How can they practice under the circumstances as described above?

Will Europe Sanction Israel?

The Times of Israel wrote on May 12:

“Reportedly led by France, European nations seek to warn Israel of sanctions from its largest trading partner if it declares sovereignty over parts of territory (Judea and Samaria).

“According to the Haaretz daily, the proposed steps include announcing that Israel would be prevented from entering into trade agreements with the bloc, receiving EU grants or participating in other forms of cooperation with the union….

“A slight majority of Jews — 51.7% — support annexation… while only 8.8% of Arab Israelis were in favor…”

Israel will go ahead with annexation, and it will be interesting to see how Europe will react.

Being Micro-Chipped by Israeli Government?

Breaking Israel News wrote on May 12:

“Several of the victims, who reportedly represent hundreds of others, came forward… claiming that they have been micro-chipped by Israel’s intelligence community and even have the X-rays to prove it.

“… the chips, which are engineered using state-of-the-art technology, can be injected and cause people pain at the push of a button. [Victims claim] that these chips can ‘enact mind control including emotions like fear’

“[It is claimed that] this chip can cause its victims to suddenly urinate in the middle of the street and cause epileptic seizures.”

This would be absolutely disgusting and appalling, if true.

Churches Still Closed on Pentecost?

The Huffington Post wrote on May 12:

“Several California pastors have pledged to reopen their churches on May 31 ‘or sooner,’ regardless of whether their plan lines up with a schedule put forth by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

“The pastors released a letter… arguing… that people of faith have a right to worship in person

“In their open letter to Newsom and California’s public health officer, the pastors ― who are mostly evangelical Christians and claim to represent 1,500 churches in the state ― say the mandated shutdown of houses of worship has been detrimental and argue churches should be considered ‘essential.’…

May 31 is the Day of Pentecost, which commemorates a Bible story about Jesus’ followers gathering together after his death and being given the gift of the Holy Spirit. Some consider this to be the moment when the church was formed…

“The pastors are being represented by… the Advocates for Faith & Freedom and The National Center for Law and Policy… Liberty Counsel, a Florida-based conservative Christian law firm, is backing a call for churches across the country to resume in-person worship. Other conservative religious legal groups have signed up to represent churches that want to reopen….”

The opposition by churches and their lawsuits against the governmental restrictions and prohibitions against religious assembly in person won’t go away any time soon, until they are being lifted.

Restrictions During Fall Holy Days?

The Times of Israel reported on May 8:

“[Anthony Fauci] said the risk was likely to carry over into the High Holidays this fall, and that pandemic risk mitigation should continue to apply to worship at that time.”

In other words, continue with prohibitions against assemblies in churches and synagogues even during the fall festivals of Trumpets, Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles? We should clearly understand that none other than Satan is behind these efforts.

 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.

This Week in the News

Pope Pius XII Knew… but Kept Silent

The Times of Israel wrote on April 30:

“Researchers studying the newly opened Vatican archives of pope Pius XII have already found evidence that the World War II-era pope knew about the mass killing of Jews from his own sources but kept it from the US government… a German team lead by award-winning religious historian Hubert Wolf from the University of Münster… has already found some damning discoveries…

“Wolf [and] his team found documents that were excluded from the 11-volume work compiled by Jesuits on the Holocaust four decades ago, apparently to protect Pius and his image… In September 1942, [a] US diplomat gave the Vatican a secret report prepared by the Jewish Agency that documented the mass murder of some 100,000 Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto. It also said some 50,000 Jews were killed in Lviv in German-occupied Ukraine.

“The US asked if the Vatican could confirm the report from its own sources among Catholics, but were told the Vatican could not. However… Wolf… and his team discovered a note confirming that Pius had read the American report and also two instances where the Vatican had independently corroborated the reports of the killings… ‘There is no doubt that the pope was aware of the murder of Jews,’ Wolf said.

“What really interests us is when he learned about it for the first time, and when he believed that information.’…

“On December 24, 1942, Pius XII delivered one of history’s most debated Christmas radio messages. Buried in its long text was a reference to ‘hundreds of thousands of people who, without any fault of their own and sometimes for the sole reason of their nationality or race, were doomed to death or gradual extermination.’ Was his message — delivered in Italian and aired just once, and which never explicitly mentioned either the Jews or Nazis — heard and understood by German Catholics? ‘The only ones who heard it were the Nazis,’ said Wolf, noting that the radio waves were scrambled and that the pope could have spoken German — if he had really wanted to reach the German faithful…”

The Catholic Church’s collaboration with the Nazis in Germany and Italy, as well as in other countries such as Austria and Spain, is without any doubt. Note the next article.

Confession of Guilt by German Bishops

Times of Israel wrote on May 2:

“In a new report after decades of ambivalence, Germany’s council of Catholic bishops has finally admitted to the church’s complicity in the actions of the Nazi regime during World War II, The Times reported Friday.  The 23-page document by the council reportedly states, ‘Inasmuch as the bishops did not oppose the war with a clear “no,” and most of them bolstered the [German nation’s] will to endure, they made themselves complicit in the war’…

“One Catholic Church official cited by The Times called the report a ‘confession of guilt’ by the church. The document said most German bishops, motivated by nationalism and anti-communist sentiment and a desire to preserve the church by avoiding confrontation with the Nazis, told their followers to support the regime during the war. On Hitler’s 50th birthday in 1939, churches flew Nazi flags and prayed for protection of the ‘Fuhrer and the Reich.’”

The question is, has the Catholic Church learned from its past “mistakes”? The Bible shows that it has not.

Pope Francis Assists Transgender Prostitutes

Fox News wrote on May 1:

“Pope Francis assisted a group of transgender prostitutes who were struggling financially… ‘At the height of the coronavirus emergency, a group of transsexuals, almost all Latin Americans, arrived in the church with amazement and wonder,’ Don Andrea Conocchia,  the parish priest of Torvaianica, not far from Rome, said…  ‘They asked for help because with the virus they no longer had customers on the street.’

“They reached out to the pope through Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, the papal almoner, who is responsible for charitable work done in the name of [the] pope. ‘Francis’ response was immediate,’ the paper reports. ‘Many thanks to Pope Francis! May God bless you, thank you for everything! A thousand blessings! May the Virgin protect you!’ the group of prostitutes sent in an audio message.”

This is hard to believe! But in this God-defying world, everything goes.  

US and Canadian Bishops Seek Answers from the “Virgin Mary”

Vatican News wrote on April 29:

“On Friday, May 1, the bishops of Canada and the United States reconsecrated their respective nations to the care and protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary… [the] ‘Mother of the Church’. ‘This will give the Church the occasion to pray for Our Lady’s continued protection of the vulnerable, healing of the unwell, and wisdom for those who work to cure this terrible virus,’ said Archbishop Gomez…

“Shortly after this announcement, the bishops of Italy announced that they would also be reconsecrating their country to the protection of the Virgin Mary…”

The real Mary, the mother of Jesus, is dead and in the grave, awaiting her resurrection from the dead at the time of Christ’s return. She never ascended to heaven and she is not ruling in heaven right now as the “queen of heaven.” Any prayers to her are useless. The same goes for prayers to any dead “saints”… note the next article.

Praying to Catherine of Siena and the Virgin Mary?

Vatican News reported on April 29:

“Following his catechesis at the General Audience, Pope Francis noted that today the Church celebrates the feast of St Catherine of Siena, Doctor of the Church and co-patron of Italy and of Europe. As he had done earlier at the daily Mass, he prayed to St Catherine for protection during the pandemic, and for the unity of Europe… ‘I ask St Catherine to protect Italy during this pandemic, and to protect Europe, because she is the Patroness of Europe; to protect the whole of Europe so that it may remain united’…

“Pope Francis then turned his attention to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Pope once again encouraged everyone to pray the Rosary, especially during the month of May…”

That these Catholic “saints” are perceived as being patrons and “protectors” of Europe is very remarkable.

Pope Benedict Attacks Opponents Who Want to Silence Him

AFP wrote on May 4:

“Traditionalist former pope Benedict XVI accuses opponents of wanting to ‘silence’ him while associating gay marriage with ‘the Antichrist’ and attacking ‘humanist ideologies’ in a new authorised biography published Monday in Germany.

“The 93-year-old, whose original name is Joseph Ratzinger, claims in ‘Benedict XVI – A Life’ that he has fallen victim to a ‘malignant distortion of reality’ in reactions to his interventions in theological debates…

“In office from 2005-13, Benedict has frequently been criticised for his attitudes to Islam or to social questions, and is accused of attempting to undermine the modernisation drive of his successor Pope Francis. Ratzinger attempts to counter such claims in the biography, saying his ‘personal friendship with Pope Francis has not only endured, but grown’…

“‘A century ago, anyone would have thought it absurd to talk about homosexual marriage. Today those who oppose it are excommunicated from society,’ Benedict says. ‘It’s the same thing with abortion and creating human life in the laboratory,’ he says, adding that it’s ‘only natural’ for people to ‘fear the spiritual power of the Antichrist’… ‘The real threat to the Church… is in the global dictatorship of purportedly humanist ideologies,’ he warns.”

Striking words.

Benedict: Freemasonry Greatest Enemy of the Church

Life Site News reported on May 4:

“Dr. Robert Moynihan, the editor-in-chief of the Catholic journal Inside the Vatican, revealed on April 23 that he once had a conversation with then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (who later became Pope Benedict XVI) about the ‘greatest danger to the Church,’ and he recounts that Ratzinger said: ‘It is Freemasonry.’… Bishop Schneider states that Freemasons were crucial in the promotion of abortion, same-sex ‘marriage,’ and euthanasia in France

“Then-Cardinal Ratzinger was already in the 1980s so concerned about the nature and work of Freemasonry that he worked out a statement for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, whose Prefect he then was, which repeated the Church’s long-standing ban on Freemasonry. That is to say, he re-stated that Catholics may not be members of Freemasonry. On November 26, 1983, Ratzinger signed a document that stated, ‘Therefore the Church’s negative judgment in regard to Masonic association remains unchanged since their principles have always been considered irreconcilable with the doctrine of the Church and therefore membership in them remains forbidden. The faithful who enroll in Masonic associations are in a state of grave sin and may not receive Holy Communion.’”

The Deadly “Murder Hornet” Has Arrived in the USA

On May 2, DNYUZ wrote the following:

“In his decades of beekeeping, Ted McFall had never seen anything like it. As he pulled his truck up to check on a group of hives near Custer, Wash., in November, he could spot from the window a mess of bee carcasses on the ground. As he looked closer, he saw a pile of dead members of the colony in front of a hive and more carnage inside — thousands and thousands of bees with their heads torn from their bodies and no sign of a culprit… Only later did he come to suspect that the killer was what some researchers simply call the ‘murder hornet.’

“With queens that can grow to two inches long, Asian giant hornets can use mandibles shaped like spiked shark fins to wipe out a honeybee hive in a matter of hours, decapitating the bees and flying away with the thoraxes to feed their young. For larger targets, the hornet’s potent venom and stinger — long enough to puncture a beekeeping suit — make for an excruciating combination that victims have likened to hot metal driving into their skin… In Japan, the hornets kill up to 50 people a year. Now, for the first time, they have arrived in the United States.”

Another one of the many curses which God is inflicting on His disobedient people in the USA and also in the UK, as the next article shows.

Honeybees Being Wiped Out in Britain

The Sun wrote on May 2:

“HONEYBEES are being wiped out by a mystery disease that is sweeping Britain, researchers say… Infected bees die within a week. This leads to piles of dead insects just outside hives… Experts say it is being fuelled by importing queen bees from Europe. They head colonies and beekeepers use large numbers from France, Italy, the Netherlands and other countries across the world to replenish stocks.

“Now information from 130,000 bee imports from 25 countries show for the first time the disease was nearly twice as likely in apiaries owned by keepers who used them…”

Russian and American Robots to the Battlefield

Forbes wrote on April 30:

“For Russia, the question of robots taking over the role of soldiers on the battlefield is a matter of when, not if. ‘Living fighters will gradually begin to be replaced by their robotic “brothers” who can act faster, more accurately and more selectively than people,’ Vitaly Davydov told RIA Novosti on April 21…

“The development parallels many robotic programs under way in the United States. It is remarkable, too, that both nations have hit upon swarms of ground robots as a way to supplement existing human formations in combat. Russia plans to test swarms of ground robots later in 2020.”

Whatever it takes to kill more and more people! A terrible indictment against man’s hunger for murder.

World War III Distinct Possibility

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 4:

“… the conviction that the war was part of the European past, but not Europe’s future is fading too… Europeans aged between 18-24 are most likely to believe that a war between European nations is possible in the next 10-20 years… ‘Perhaps the reason we never learn from history,’ wrote the American poet Charles Simic, ‘is that we are incapable of picturing the reality of war and its aftermath…’

“It is well known that truth is the first casualty of war…”

Trade Agreement Between EU and Mexico

Vatican News reported on April 29:

“Mexico and the European Union have clinched a fresh and undated Free Trade Agreement…

“The EU confirms that from now on, almost all trade and goods between itself and Mexico will be entirely duty free.  Current annual business tops 75 billion dollars. The EU is Mexico’s third largest trading partner. Trade between them has more than tripled, since the original agreement was initialed, way back in 2001.”

The EU is a mighty economic power, as described in the Bible.

Ongoing Censorship of the Free Press Regarding Criticism of Coronavirus Measures

Deutsche Welle reported on May 1:

“The European Union on Saturday criticized restrictions on the media put in place by some countries during the coronavirus crisis… Rights group Reporters Without Borders also warned that many journalists around the world may be facing censorship or limited freedoms as the outbreak leads to restrictions on public life…

“German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, along with his counterparts in the UK, France and the Netherlands, released a statement on Saturday stressing the importance of journalistic independence in the coronavirus crisis…”

Facebook blocks and takes down posts critical of governmental stay-at-home orders and social distancing measures. The former President of Germany’s highest constitutional court warned that the German governmental restrictions might be unconstitutional.

In addition, “Germany’s highest legal authority, the constitutional court overturned a blanket ban on religious services during the coronavirus crisis, saying that exceptions could be granted if sufficient precautions were taken to avoid infection,” according to AFP, dated April 30. Also, the highest court of the German state of Saarland rendered a decision, questioning whether the stay-at-home orders are even effective, and ordering the state government to relax the restrictions, according to Bild, dated April 30. But YouTube and Facebook don’t seem to care… note the next article.

Suppressing Alternate Views

BBC News wrote on May 2:

“‘YouTube has clear policies prohibiting any content that disputes the existence and transmission of Covid-19 as described by the WHO and the NHS,’ a spokeswoman told the BBC…

“The tech firm [is] banning any material that: suggests coronavirus does not exist; contains medically unsubstantiated diagnostic advice about the virus; explicitly disputes the efficacy of guidance about social distancing and self-isolation that has been issued by the WHO and/or local health authorities…”

Censorship of this kind and the suppression of alternate views which are not “politically correct” are the hallmark of dictatorships and autocratic societies.

Self-Isolation at Home No Cure for the Virus?

CNBC wrote on May 6:

“Most new Covid-19 hospitalizations in New York state are from people who were staying home and not venturing much outside, a ‘shocking’ finding, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday… 

“It shows that 66% of new admissions were from people who had largely been sheltering at home. The next highest source of admissions was from nursing homes, 18%… ‘We thought maybe they were taking public transportation, and we’ve taken special precautions on public transportation, but actually no, because these people were literally at home.’”

So, how does this fit with the success and necessity of self-isolation?

Travel Bans Not to Be Lifted for a Long Time

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 29:

“The German Cabinet on Wednesday extended its strict global travel warning to limit the spread of the coronavirus and prevent German tourists once again becoming stranded overseas. Germany’s Foreign Ministry said that the measure should remain in place ‘until further notice,’ but at least until June 14.

“It did not specify whether travel will be allowed during the summer holidays, saying only that the situation should be carefully reviewed and coordinated with neighboring European Union member states prior to that date… The decision could mean leaving many holiday plans in limbo, with summer vacations beginning as early as the end of June in some of Germany’s 16 federal states.

The Federal Foreign Office said that ‘severe and drastic restrictions in international air and travel traffic and worldwide entry restrictions, quarantine measures and restrictions on public life in many countries can still be expected.’”

USA Today added on May 4:

“U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin encouraged Americans to focus on domestic travel this year as the international travel outlook for the rest of 2020 remains uncertain…”

In this Satan-ruled world, only God can make it possible that His people will be able to keep the Feast of Tabernacles 2020 in certain areas designated by Him.

Green Light for Vaccine-Producing “Operation Warp Speed”

CNN wrote on May 1:

“President Donald Trump has essentially given ‘Operation Warp Speed’ a blank check as the team of government officials, scientists and private companies aims to produce hundreds of millions of doses of a life-saving coronavirus vaccine by early next year. The goal — which may prove impossible to meet — is to make 100 million doses of the vaccine available by November, 200 million doses by December and 300 million doses by January…

“The obvious hurdle is quickly developing a vaccine that is effective and safe. But ‘Operation Warp Speed’ is also working on all the challenges that surround vaccine deployment. They are already working on solutions to quickly ramp up production, organize distribution and determine who gets the first doses of the vaccine. ‘You don’t wait until you get an answer before you start manufacturing — you at risk proactively start making it, assuming it’s going to work, and if it does, then you can scale up and hopefully get to that timeline,’ Dr. Anthony Fauci… told NBC…

“The team is also brainstorming advertising strategies that the administration hopes will be compelling enough to inspire even vaccine skeptics to get a vaccine once it’s available…”

This is VERY FRIGHTENING indeed, also in light of the next article.

There Might Never Be a Vaccine against Coronavirus

CNN wrote on May 3:

“‘There are some viruses that we still do not have vaccines against,’ says Dr. David Nabarro, a professor of global health at Imperial College London, who also serves as a special envoy to the World Health Organization on Covid-19. ‘We can’t make an absolute assumption that a vaccine will appear at all, or if it does appear, whether it will pass all the tests of efficacy and safety…’ But even if a vaccine is developed, bringing it to fruition [within 18 months] would be a feat never achieved before…

‘In 1984, the US Secretary of Health and Human Services Margaret Heckler announced at a press conference in Washington, DC, that scientists had successfully identified the virus that later became known as HIV — and predicted that a preventative vaccine would be ready for testing in two years. Nearly four decades and 32 million deaths later, the world is still waiting for an HIV vaccine…

“An effective vaccine for dengue fever, which infects as many as 400,000 people a year… has eluded doctors for decades. In 2017, a large-scale effort to find one was suspended after [it] was found to worsen the symptoms of the disease. Similarly, it’s been very difficult to develop vaccines for the common rhinoviruses and adenoviruses — which, like coronaviruses, can cause cold symptoms. There’s just one vaccine to prevent two strains of adenovirus, and it’s not commercially available

Restrictions are most likely to come back over the winter… And lockdowns, many of which are in the process of gradually being lifted, could return at any moment…”

The world in continued lockdown—people continuously under house arrest… a terrible perspective. And so, European governments and others around the world are trying to receive billions of dollars in donations for the development of a vaccine. One wonders to whom that money is really going.

German Minister of Health, Jens Spahn, stated on May 4, according to t-online, that the search for a vaccine could go on for years. At the same time, Spahn introduced legislation which would require quarantine for those who are sick with a contagious disease or who are suspicious of being sick unless they can present an “immunization passport” or an “immunity passport” (Sueddeutsche Zeitung, dated April 29). Critics in politics and the social media have noted the obvious violation of privacy and data protection laws.

Subsequently, due to public pressure, Spahn retracted and stated that there will not be an immunity passport and no mandatory vaccinations AT THIS POINT, according to Tagesschau, dated May 4. This “changed” position is clearly only “political” in nature, and one will have to wait and see as to when Spahn feels ready to “strike” again.

As we have stated before, we should watch Jens Spahn. He has introduced quite a few controversial laws, such as mandatory vaccinations of school children and prohibiting conversion therapies for homosexuals (Spahn is openly practicing homosexuality himself).

Partnership of Gates and Cuomo Under Attack

Syracuse.com reported on May 5:

“Gov. Andrew Cuomo is facing criticism after announcing a plan with Bill Gates’ foundation to ‘reimagine’ schools… Cuomo also announced a partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to evaluate possible changes to the education system

“… at least five organizations have already spoken out against the partnership, citing concerns about the Microsoft founder’s support of standardized testing and Common Core curriculum. ‘Both the Gates Foundation and Andrew Cuomo have a history of pushing privatization and agendas that have the potential to destroy public schools,’ Alliance for Quality Education executive director Jasmine Gripper told the publication. ‘This collaboration raises a red flag…’

“… three groups — New York State Allies for Public Education, Class Size Matters, and the Parent Coalition for Student Privacy — have already written to Cuomo and state education officials to voice their objections. ‘We were appalled to hear that you will be working with the Gates Foundation on “reimagining” our schools following the Covid crisis,’ the coalition wrote. ‘Bill Gates and the Gates Foundation have promoted one failed educational initiative after another, causing huge disaffection in districts throughout the state. ‘The education of our children has been repeatedly put at risk by their non-evidence based “solutions,” which were implemented without parent input and despite significant public opposition.’…”

The Dangers of the Pandemic Drone

ABC News wrote on May 1:

“If you don’t feel comfortable signing up to the Government’s COVIDSafe tracking app, then you probably won’t be happy to hear about the pandemic drone. [It] can pick up heart rate, body temperature and monitor social distancing. But the technology is also increasing concerns about privacy and data collection

“The drone would also be able to detect a cough from ‘15-20 metres away’, while heart rate can be detected within 6-8 metres with only a ‘very small’ margin of error…

“Artificial intelligence expert Professor Toby Walsh urged a cautious approach towards adopting technologies like the pandemic drone…”

George Orwell’s big brother scenario in his bestseller “1984” is no longer science fiction at all.

Astronomical Unemployment Figures in the USA

The Independent wrote on May 2:

“Another 3.2 million Americans filed for unemployment insurance benefits at the end of April, adding to unprecedented jobless claims that have now topped more than 30 million within only a month following the outbreak.  [As of May 7, 33.5 million have filed for unemployment]. Economists say the numbers merely glimpse the scope of the unemployment crisis.

“… for every 10 people who successfully filed for unemployment over the last month, three to four others tried to apply but couldn’t get through the system, and another two people were unable to because the process was too difficult.”

This would mean, the unemployment rate stands at approximately 45 to 46 million. At the beginning of 2020, approximately 160 million were listed as being employed in the USA, and about 331 million live in the USA. No country can ever recover from such devastating figures, as its downfall continues. But it gets worse. Note the next articles.

Beef Prices at Record High

Newsmax wrote on May 1:

“U.S. shoppers are paying 13% more for T-bone steaks than last year, at $7.47 a pound. Ground chuck is up 28%

“Donald Trump’s executive order will reopen meat plants struck down by outbreaks, but social-distancing measures will keep slaughterhouses limping along at reduced production rates. The shortfall in output could run as high as 15% even after plants are back in business…

“It only took a month to break the U.S. meat supply chain. Shutdowns at major slaughter plants started in early April… Grocery-store shelves have run empty, and farmers were forced to destroy tens of thousands of animals…

“Wholesale beef has jumped to a record high… It’s usually younger animals that are destroyed, since farmers haven’t spent money to feed and raise them yet…

“Beef jumped 11% in the two days to Thursday… For beef, that means ‘ridiculously tight supplies in September through December’…”

The terrible results of governmental restrictions on the economy and personal well-being have placed many people on edge, as the following articles show, by way of example, regarding the fragile situation in California.

Californians on Edge

The Associated Press wrote on May 2:

“Californians weary of stay-at-home orders that have left millions unemployed staged displays of defiance Friday, with hundreds of flag-waving protesters gathering at the Capitol… Gov. Gavin Newsom acknowledged the building anxiety

“In downtown Huntington Beach, known for its world-renowned surf break, protesters swarmed the streets, backing up traffic for at least a mile along Pacific Coast Highway… People waved American flags from their car windows and carried signs reading ‘Open Cali now.’ A plane buzzed overhead with a sign reading ‘Fire gruesome Newsom! Open California.’

“While the beach was officially closed by Newsom’s order, people continued to walk on the sand and on a popular bike trail in a park overlooking the shoreline… a variety of businesses from restaurants to hairstylists in rural and more populated areas have opened their doors in individual acts of defiance.

“With its once-roaring economy in shackles and millions jobless, the state will face a funding shortfall that will run into billions of dollars… ‘At a time when California is granting early release to high-risk sex offenders and other dangerous inmates due to COVID-19 concerns, the implicit threat to punish beachgoers and surfers who violate the order is absurd,’ Republican state Sen. Patricia Bates said.”

Defying Newsom’s Orders

The Los Angeles Times wrote on May 3:

“Yuba and Sutter counties in Northern California are set to allow many businesses to reopen on Monday in defiance of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s statewide six-week-old stay-at-home order.

“The two counties near the state’s capital would join a sparsely populated county in California’s northeastern corner, Modoc County, with fewer than 9,000 residents, that on Friday allowed all businesses, schools and churches to reopen as long as people inside can stay six feet apart.

“The move by Yuba and Sutter counties — with a combined population of 171,000 people… comes as other California counties on the Central Coast and San Joaquin Valley are demanding to reopen more businesses…

“Newsom’s stay-at-home order, issued March 19, was the first to be issued by any governor in the nation…”

Newsom Sued for Civil Rights Violations

ABC News wrote on May 1:

“Civil Rights Attorney Harmeet Dhillon says in the last couple of weeks she’s filed six lawsuits against the governor. Dhillon is an RNC Committeewoman for California. She previously served as the Vice-Chairman of the California Republican Party, and Chairman of the San Francisco Republican Party. ‘The governor is overreaching on a number of grounds,’ said Dhillon.

“In part the lawsuits center around protests. ‘The governor has chosen to limit protests to zero in this state which is outrageous and absurd,’ said Dhillon… Regarding the closure of houses of worship, Dhillon said, ‘Going to church to worship communally is a first amendment-protected activity and while it does not sustain the level of protection as protests, petitions, the press, other forms of speech, it is protected under the constitution and we believe it is unconstitutional for the governor to impose restrictions on worship that are broader than necessary to achieve the government’s interests.’…”

By the time these lawsuits are decided with finality, and even assuming they would find in favor of the plaintiff, constitutional violations are continuing.

Church Assemblies Remain Forbidden in California

The Associated Press wrote on May 5:

“California Gov. Gavin Newsom had the right to ban church assemblies in the interest of public health during the coronavirus outbreak, a federal judge ruled Tuesday. Newsom’s stay-at-home order did not violate the constitutional rights to free assembly and religion when the Cross Culture Christian Center in Lodi was ordered to cease holding services, Judge John Mendez ruled in Sacramento.

“Pastor Jonathan Duncan had continued to assemble his congregation after the governor banned public gatherings in March despite warnings it was in violation of state and local orders. The church of fewer than 50 members said it was obeying federal guidelines to prevent spread of the virus. Lodi police entered the church during a service attended by about 30 worshipers in late March and said they were defying the governor’s order…

“Police posted a notice on the building that its nonessential use created a public nuisance… Police threatened to cite anyone who entered the property.

“Duncan said in a statement that he was disappointed with the ruling but would continue to fight for the right to worship. ‘It is time for pastors and religious leaders across the state to rise up and start pushing back against these draconian stay-at-home orders that completely fail to take into account the true essentiality of religion in our society,’ Duncan said…”

These kinds of actions and the court decision are indeed difficult to comprehend. Judge John Mendez is no stranger to controversy. Appointed by George W. Bush on September 6, 2007 to the federal bench, he ruled against President Trump’s request to block SB 54, allowing California to remain a sanctuary state (giving protection to dangerous illegal immigrants).

Mendez has also been accused of unethical conduct, pro-government bias and other misconduct allegations, according to issuu.com.

Forcing People from California Homes?

“Fox News reported on May 7:

“Video circulated on social media showed Dr. Robert Levin, the director of Ventura County Public Health, speaking before the board of supervisors Tuesday about a plan to hire up to 50 new ‘contact tracing investigators’ to ‘find people who have COVID-19 and immediately isolate them, find every one of their contacts, make sure they stay quarantined and check in with them every day.’

“Levin admitted his poor messaging during another press conference Wednesday, stressing those who test positive or who are identified by officials as having come in contact with an infected person would not be forcibly removed from their homes. ‘I either misspoke or it was misinterpreted – I’ll take the blame of having misspoke,’ Levin said. ‘Yesterday, at this conference, at the Board of Supervisors, I gave people the impression that if you were isolated, you would be taken out of your home and put into a hotel room or a motel room or sequestered in some other way.’

“‘If I did do that, I am very sorry,’ he said. ‘That is an option. That is possible…’

“Further explaining himself Wednesday, Levin said: ‘… We were going to increase by 10, 20, maybe 50 people to help us locate people and make sure they’re in quarantine or make sure they’re in isolation. If you have the illness and you stay in your own quarters or in your hospital room, that’s called isolation,’ he continued. ‘If you don’t have the illness, but you were exposed to someone who did, but we want to watch you for the period of incubation, where you might come down with the illness and might be contagious and give it to someone else, that’s called quarantine. We’re looking to not only isolate everyone, but we’re looking to quarantine the contacts of the isolates we have who have COVID disease…”

This does not sound like an apology or retraction to us.

Judge Agrees with Newsom on Beach Shutdown

NPR wrote on May 3:

“Two Orange County cities’ attempt to legally challenge California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s beach shutdown order failed for now, but the battle between local and state officials over the shoreline will continue. Huntington Beach, Dana Point and various local private businesses in Orange County requested a temporary restraining order in Orange County Superior Court on Friday that would have blocked Newsom’s executive beach closure order and kept beaches open in those cities…

“But Orange County Superior Court Judge Nathan Scott rejected the injunction, and beaches spanning the Orange County coastline were closed over the weekend and will continue to be. A hearing is scheduled for May 11… Tensions have risen to a boil…”

Orange County Superior Court Judge Nathan Scott was appointed by former [controversial Democrat] governor Jerry Brown. Scott, upholding for now left-wing Democrat governor Newsom’s order, earned a B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1995. He then received a J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1999. Scott has been a member of the Hispanic Bar Association of Orange County, the California Latino Judges Association, and the Association of Business Trial Lawyers. He is registered as a Democrat.

However, bowing to public demand, state officials announced Monday that Laguna Beach and San Clemente will be permitted to reopen their stretches of coastline this week — with certain limitations. Also, amid growing pressure to ease a stay-at-home order that has cratered the California economy, Newsom announced that the state will begin “reopening” this week, with some retail stores getting back to business as early as Friday, albeit with modifications. The legal battle regarding beach closure in California is not over. Note the next article.

Newsom Sued over “Unconstitutional” Beach Closure

KTLA 5 wrote on May 4:

“Former Newport Beach mayor and current councilman Kevin Muldoon filed a lawsuit against Gov. Gavin Newsom and other state leaders Monday, over the constitutionality of state-mandated closures of Orange County beaches… The lawsuit comes as two O.C. cities were granted permission to partially reopen their beaches… ‘The Governor’s actions appear to be based more on politics applied to one county in California, rather than sound scientific guidance, evidence, or regard for competing Constitutional concerns,’ Muldoon said in a written statement. ‘Freedom of movement and access to California beaches are fundamental rights, and unless total or broad interference with those can be proven by the government to be necessary and also related to fulfilling a compelling government interest, this interference is unconstitutional.

“The lawsuit asks U.S. Attorney General William Barr to intervene in the battle against Newsom’s order to close down O.C. beaches, after Barr issued a memorandum on April 27, asking for state directives that could be violating the constitutional rights of citizens to be sent his way. Many O.C. officials also expressed criticism towards the governor’s order. O.C. Supervisor Michelle Steel called the governor’s actions ‘arbitrary’ and said it was an act of retribution against the county. Huntington Beach Mayor Lyn Semeta called it an ‘unconstitutional overreach.’ The Newport Beach City Council voted on May 2 to support legal action against the state, filed by the cities of Huntington Beach and Dana Point…”

Newsom is being sued all over the place. We will see what the outcome is going to be. But legal battles—with inhumane court decisions—are also being fought in other parts of the USA. Note the next article.

Owner in Texas Jailed for Keeping Her Hair Salon Opened

Breitbart wrote on April 25:

“Dallas officials issued a citation to the owner of a hair salon who re-opened her store [on a limited-service basis] in defiance of a stay-at-home order issued by the county judge…

“Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins (D) later sent a cease and desist letter to Shelley Luther, owner of the Salon Á la Mode hair salon, ordering her to close her business… The store had security guards in place to control access to the store and maintain social distancing…

“Luther is not alone in her rebellion against county stay-at-home orders. In Houston, the owner of the Federal American Grill… decided to re-open his restaurant on the city’s west side despite orders directing him to be closed… After he announced the re-opening of his restaurant for dining-in, customers flocked to his side… he is only seating up to 30 percent of his capacity in order to maintain social distancing.

“In contrast to Dallas, Houston law enforcement officials chose to not enforce the prohibition against in-house dining at the restaurant…”

Subsequently, Breitbart wrote on May 5:

“‘I have to disagree with you sir when you [say] that I’m selfish [for re-opening the salon],’ Salon Á la Mode owner Shelly Luther told Judge Eric Moyé [a Democrat] during a [civil and criminal] contempt of court proceeding broadcast on the internet… The judge told Shelley Luther she could avoid jail time if she apologized, admitted she was wrong, and agreed to close her hair salon until it was allowed to open…

“Luther told the judge, ‘I have hairstylists that are going hungry because they’d rather feed their kids. So, sir, if you think the law is more important than kids getting fed then please go ahead with your decision but I am not going to shut the salon.’ Lucia reported that the judge ordered her jailed for seven days and fined $500 for every day the salon remains open. So far, the fine stands at $3,500.

“Luther’s attorney said he would appeal the judge’s ruling. The contempt hearing occurred at about the time Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced that hair salons and gyms could re-open on Friday.”

Texas Governor Frees Jailed Citizens

DISRN wrote on May 7:

“Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order Thursday retroactively eliminating jail time for citizens who violate the state’s stay-at-home rules, freeing salon owner Shelley Luther who was jailed for seven days and fined $7,000 for reopening her business against court orders.

“Abbott specifically named Luther in his announcement: ‘Throwing Texans in jail who have had their businesses shut down through no fault of their own is nonsensical, and I will not allow it to happen. That is why I am modifying my executive orders to ensure confinement is not a punishment for violating an order. This order is retroactive to April 2nd, supersedes local orders and if correctly applied should free Shelley Luther … As some county judges advocate for releasing hardened criminals from jail to prevent the spread of COVID-19, it is absurd to have these business owners take their place.’

“Shortly after Abbott’s announcement, the Supreme Court of Texas ordered Luther’s release. The governor added that his order ‘may also ensure’ the release of Ana Isabel Castro-Garcia and Brenda Stephanie Mata, who were arrested in Laredo, Texas, for providing cosmetic services inside their homes.”

Thank you, governor, for a sensible and merciful decision. 

U.S. Supreme Court Sides With Governor

CBS News wrote on May 7:

“The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to lift an executive order from Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf that mandated the closure of all businesses in the state deemed nonessential as part of efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus… There were no noted dissents

“The Pennsylvania businesses argued Wolf’s lockdown order was unconstitutional and filed an emergency request with the Pennsylvania Supreme Court arguing it went beyond Wolf’s authority. The state court, however, sided with Wolf and rejected the challenge. The businesses then asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review the lower court’s decision.

“‘The executive order and similar orders by governors across the country is doing substantial, unprecedented damage to the economy,’ the group wrote in its request to the high court.”

Israel Rebukes the EU

The Times of Israel wrote on May 7:

“The Foreign Ministry on Thursday summoned the European Union’s ambassador to Israel for an unusually harsh rebuke over the bloc’s alleged support of terrorism, warning him that backing terrorist groups will only lead to more bloodshed.

“Israel summoned envoy Emanuele Giaufret after a letter emerged Wednesday in which a senior EU official stationed in East Jerusalem assured the Palestinians that membership in or affinity to a terrorist organization does not automatically prevent a person from being eligible to participate in EU-funded programs.

“‘Israel utterly condemns and categorically objects to the Union’s policy on the funding of terrorist organisations. The policy essentially grants permission for incitement, support, and involvement with terrorism,’ the ministry said in a statement…”

The relationship between the EU and Israel will deteriorate drastically. 

Netanyahu Under Attack

Breaking Israel News reported on May 7:

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu set off quite a storm on Monday night following a press conference… That’s because during his speech, he alluded to the idea of installing distance sensors onto children that like a car, beep when they get too close to people…

“Popular Rabbi Amnon Yitzchak, who has thousands of followers in Israel… accused the Prime Minister of playing dumb regarding an already planned second wave saying: ‘Bibi, you pretend like you don’t know that it’s all planned – a second wave (of coronavirus) to force the vaccine.’ 

“Rabbi Yitzchak also notes that Netanyahu’s speech proves that the technology the Prime Minister spoke about already exists and that the Israeli government intends on using it. The rabbi also surmises that Netanyahu’s statement will translate into ‘microchips and sensors, to control the population and enslave them.’ Rabbi Yitzchak concludes that the plan is to force everyone to vaccinate and if they refuse, they will become criminals. The goal is to prepare the future generations for Bill Gate’s project

“‘Why is that when the flu, who killed a lot more people, did you never ensure that people didn’t prevent it from spreading?’ the Rabbi said…”

New Israeli Government Approved

Al Jazeera wrote on May 7:

“Israeli MPs have approved the formation of a unity government between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and rival Benny Gantz, paving the way to an end to more than a year of deadlock… The proposed government was challenged in the Supreme Court, with opponents arguing Netanyahu was ineligible to rule due to a series of corruption indictments…

“But the court ruled on Wednesday evening that ‘there was no legal reason to prevent the formation of a government’ led by Netanyahu.”

Rabbi Tells Jews: Flee America Immediately!

Breaking Israel News wrote on April 9:

“[Brooklyn’s] Rabbi Chaim Yaakov Frankel… issued an unequivocal order last week for Jews in the diaspora to leave their homes and immigrate to Israel before a civil war breaks out in the United States

“‘After World War II, the survivors came and asked why the Gedolim and the Rebbes (rabbis) did not order European Jews to leave while there was still time and emigrate to Israel or the United States before the war broke out,’ Rabbi Frankel [said.]. ‘Truth be told, they (the rabbis)… begged the Jews to flee the scorched earth, but part of the decree was that the Jews didn’t listen.’ ‘

“‘Today,’ he continued ‘Listen to me well, dear Jews, whoever can afford to rise and ascend to the Holy Land should [do so] as soon as possible, and this includes large parts of South America and most of Europe. The US will also become a dangerous place mired in war, and it is still too early to tell which US state will survive, but many parts will be destroyed and poisoned, and a civil war will break out within the US. And states will secede from the federal government. The US will no longer be a place of refuge, but there will be a Jewish remnant here. The Land of Israel will be the safest place to survive the war, even though there will be terrible difficulties there as well.’”

A mixture of truth and error. The USA will be defeated and destroyed in a coming World War, but so will be the state of Israel. There will be no place on earth which will be safe. It is true that violent anti-Semitism will raise its ugly head in Europe, but it is also spreading in the USA. Note the next article.

Singling out New York’s Jewish Community?

Breitbart wrote on April 29:

“New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio told the media Wednesday morning that he was sorry if anyone was hurt by the way he called out the Jewish community over a large funeral in Brooklyn Tuesday, but he had ‘no regrets.’ De Blasio personally supervised police as they broke up a funeral procession for Rabbi Chaim Mertz of the Tola’as Yaakov synagogue in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn on Tuesday…

“De Blasio was outraged by the gathering, and singled out the ‘Jewish community’ in a series of tweets… Critics were outraged that the mayor singled out the ‘Jewish community’… Many also pointed out that De Blasio and the police did nothing when crowds gathered on Tuesday to watch the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds perform a flyover salute to first responders.

‘Some Jews are also particularly worried about the mayor’s remarks because extremist groups, at home and abroad, have used the coronavirus pandemic to scapegoat Jews… The false accusation of Jews spreading disease is at least as old as the Black Death in the fourteenth century.

“In addition, the mayor is widely perceived among religious Jews to have done very little to combat a scourge of recent antisemitic attacks in the city, many by members of other minority groups…”

It is well-known that there was much anti-Semitism in the USA prior to and during World War II.

Tucker Carlson Speaks Out Against Dictatorship in the USA

Fox News wrote on May 2:

“Tucker Carlson continued to criticize coronavirus-induced lockdowns across America Friday night, reacting to actions across the country by authorities he believes are overreaching their legal boundaries… [He noticed] an incident in Wisconsin where law enforcement was called on a family who allowed their daughter to play outside, with police saying they believed they had ‘the right’ to confront the mother. ‘The question is, where exactly did they get that right?’ Carlson asked.

“‘That’s a good question. A question that we are strongly discouraged from asking. The short answer is governors told them they could. Never in American history have politicians been more powerful than they are now. Effectively, they are gods. ‘In the state of Maine, for example, Governor Janet Mills now has the power to suspend any law she doesn’t like. She can seize any state resource she feels like seizing,’ Carlson continued. ‘She can force any citizen or all citizens from their home. She can do all of this for as long as she wants, as long as she believes Maine is in a state of emergency. In fact, there’s virtually nothing that Janet Mills can’t now do. Many governors now have these powers.’

“The host also voiced his concerns for the freedoms lost during this time, in particular the impact on religion and the media’s failure to report on it… Carlson also seemed to take a veiled shot at White House coronavirus task force member Dr. Anthony Fauci… for his role in the pandemic response. ‘How […] did politicians get the authority to do this?’ Carlson said. ‘Because some elderly power-drunk epidemiologist told them to do it. That’s not how our system works. It can’t work that way.’”

Sadly, for now, it does work that way. If you think Tucker Carlson’s words were strong, note the outspoken words by controversial Tesla chief Elon Musk, as cited in the next article. We omitted certain expletives.

Tesla Chief Elon Musk Minces No Words

Business Insider wrote on April 29:

“In a short rant complete with expletives, Elon Musk doubled down on his stance against the shelter-in-place orders introduced by various US states in recent weeks in an effort to stop the novel coronavirus’ spread. The Tesla chief executive did not mince words on a Wednesday conference call… ‘Frankly, I would call it forcible imprisoning of people in their homes against all of, their constitutional rights, in my opinion,’ he said. ‘It’s breaking people’s freedoms in ways that are horrible and wrong and not why they came to America or built this country…’… On Tuesday, he [urged] leaders to ‘FREE AMERICA NOW’…

“‘It will cause great harm, not just to Tesla but to many companies,’ Musk said on the call… ‘Everything people have worked for their whole life is being destroyed in real time.’ Musk even went so far as to call it undemocratic for state governments to order shutdowns of businesses deemed nonessential. ‘If somebody wants to stay in their house, that’s great and they should be able to,’ he said. ‘But to say they cannot leave their house and that they will be arrested if they do, that’s fascist. That is not democratic — this is not freedom…’”

Has China Lied about the Coronavirus from the Outset?

The Sun wrote on April 29:

“THE laboratory at the heart of the world’s coronavirus pandemic lied about taking safety precautions when collecting bat samples… US and British intelligence officials suspect bungling scientists at the Wuhan Institute of Virology accidentally spread the killer disease during risky coronavirus tests on bats. It was claimed that Covid-19 was ‘developed in the Wuhan lab as China hoped to prove it’s greater than the US at battling deadly diseases’

“… no safety precautions were employed. One worker admitted being sprayed with bat blood or urine as images showed staff brazenly collecting samples with no face masks or protective suits… Incredibly some scientists didn’t even wear gloves as they entered caves to collect fecal bat swab samples

“The Chinese government has put a total lockdown on information related to the virus origins… genetic evidence indicates the virus was not artificially engineered and likely originated in bats. The genetic data cannot yet indicate exactly where and how the virus first crossed to humans… reports have also emerged alleging China attempted to cover up its role in the extent of the pandemic by silencing whistleblowers and muzzling scientists, while concerned doctors have ominously disappeared.”

The Guardian wrote on May 3:

“Most epidemiologists say that while it is possible the outbreak started in the Wuhan Institute of Virology, where coronaviruses have been intensively studied, it is a far less likely scenario than the theory that it was transmitted naturally from bats through an intermediary animal, mutating along the way to become dangerous to humans.”

Why couldn’t it be a combination of the two scenarios, which appears to be much more compelling?

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

This Week in the News

California Declares Nation Statehood

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on April 25:

“Bloomberg published a stunning piece on April 9th promoting the secession of California from the US… This does not mean we should normally expect some announcement by Governor Newsom that ‘The California Republic is an independent nation-state’. Yet amazingly, it has been almost verbatim said in this way…”

Will California and other American states secede from the USA? If so, then citizens of those states will have to decide rather quickly where their loyalty lies.

More Nonsense—Facemasks Required for All San Diego Residents

“All San Diego County residents will be required to wear face coverings while in public starting May 1, health officials announced Friday. County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher said a mandate would be added to the public health order that would require anyone to wear a face covering whenever you are within six-feet of a non-household member….

“The county has said that medical-grade masks should not be used but homemade masks, bandanas, scarves and neck gaiters are acceptable since the items can be washed and reused… ‘We believe this is going to be a part of life in the new normal,’ Fletcher said. Until such time as we have a vaccine or a widely available therapeutic drug, there are going to be parts of life that are going to change. And getting in the habit of having a face covering when you leave your house, that’s going to be part of that change.’”

Wearing a mask is to become part of the new normal? San Diego’s governmental instructions to wear face masks are just one example of the uninformed paranoia sweeping through this entire country. It is highly disputed whether wearing masks is helpful at all or whether it could even be harmful. The Guardian had written this on April 7:

“The WHO… maintained that… there was no evidence that wearing a mask in the community prevented healthy people from picking up respiratory infections including Covid-19… Prof David Heymann, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who chaired the WHO’s scientific and technical advisory group for infectious hazards, said that unless people were working in healthcare settings, masks are ‘only for the protection of others, not for the protection of oneself’.

“… Another concern is that people may contaminate themselves when they adjust, remove and dispose of their masks. The WHO said… countries that recommended masks for the general population should set up studies to monitor their effectiveness. William Keevil, a professor of environmental healthcare at the University of Southampton, said governments felt under pressure to be seen to be doing something, even if it was a waste of time and valuable resources.”

That is exactly what California and many other states are doing… wasting our time without proper studies and requiring the wearing of masks which could prove to be dangerous for those who wear them.

This is of course not limited to Californian politicians. In general, politicians are anxious to be seen as doing “something” to guarantee their (re-)election by a gullible public. That is one of the many reasons why TRUE Christians must NEVER vote in man’s political elections.

Insane Facemasks Requirements in Germany

The Guardian wrote on April 27:

“New rules have come into force legally requiring most people in Germany to wear face masks on public transport, long-distance trains and in shops. The so-called Maskenpflicht (mask duty) was introduced in 15 of the country’s 16 states on Monday morning. The northern state of Schleswig-Holstein will on Wednesday be the last state to implement the legislation.

“Fines of between €25 and €10,000 can be imposed on those who fail to wear a mask, with rates differing widely across the country… The heftiest fines will apply to shopkeepers whose staff are caught not wearing masks…

“Authorities have been quick to insist the masks do not have to be medically approved. Scarfs or cloths over the nose or mouth are adequate… But the decision has drawn scorn from some medical experts, who say non-medical masks will have little effect in stemming the spread of the virus, and could even encourage it, if masks are worn incorrectly… Frank Ulrich Montgomery, the chairman of the World Medical Association… said the proper wearing of a mask was complicated. ‘People are in danger of contaminating themselves if they wear a mask incorrectly,’ he said…

“But as Germans sought to understand the rules… in a confusing twist car drivers were warned not to wear coverings that completely disguised their faces or risk a €60 fine. This is largely so they can still be recognised by speed cameras and police surveillance. Since October 2017 it has been illegal for people to cover their face while driving, with veils, burqas and niqabs specifically singled out. Passengers are not affected.

“In most states the mask duty applies to those aged six or seven and over. People with disabilities for whom wearing a mask would be inappropriate, such as those with breathing difficulties, are exempt… 97% of those asked saying they supported the rule and recognised the importance of keeping it to help tackle coronavirus.”

If true, then these 97% of Germans are living in an illusionary dangerous dreamworld and have become victims of nationwide propaganda. That is scary indeed.

Cancer Kills More People than Coronavirus

Daily Mail wrote on April 24:

“… we’re facing a cancer epidemic, with more preventable deaths from cancer than from Covid-19. The reason is simple – in the rush to focus on stemming the awful death toll from coronavirus, the UK’s medical experts decided to temporarily ‘forget’ about cancer victims, thousands of people who had already started treatments…

Cancer affects more people in the UK than coronavirus ever will… Four hundred and fifty people die every day from the disease – 165,000 a year. If caught early, half of those diagnosed will live for more than ten years, and great work in diagnosis and treatment is seeing survival rates increase…

“A thousand new cases of cancer are diagnosed every day – at least there were in the UK, before coronavirus diverted our attention and all the resources… I cannot imagine the horror for breast, bowel and lung cancer patients whose treatment has been mothballed. Even after lockdown ends, it could take 6 to 9 months for services to return to normal. Experts say a delay in bowel cancer scanning can be a death sentence. So why do we care more about covid-19 than a disease which could affect (and potentially kill) half of us?

“Cancer charities say donations have plummeted – all we’re thinking about is coronavirus and fund-raising for the wonderful NHS. According to leading expert Professor Karl Sikora (a former director of the World Health Organisation’s cancer programme), the NHS’s decision to stop screening, delay surgery, and postpone chemotherapy will lead to far more deaths than coronavirus – over the coming years, as many as 50,000 victims could have had a good chance of life, if they’d been diagnosed and treated swiftly. According to Professor Sikora, cancer sufferers are ‘collateral damage’ in the current war against the virus…”

Thousands upon thousands of people dying of cancer and other sicknesses because of the preoccupation with Coronavirus are now deemed to be collateral damage? This is war-talk… we fight an imagined or real enemy and accept collateral damage of the innocents and helpless. We are indeed in a war… a war with the spiritual forces of darkness which have deceived and taken captive this entire world while bombarding it with insane ideas which would ultimately lead to the destruction of this planet… if Christ were not to intervene at the last minute to stop the utter madness of man’s misguided policies.  

“Treating” Coronavirus Pathway to More Dangerous Sicknesses

The Mirror wrote on April 27:

“The coronavirus pandemic is paving the way for an increase in deadly superbugs, a scientist has warned. Ronan McCarthy, a lecturer in Biomedical Sciences at Brunel University London, has warned that there could be a surge in antibiotic resistance following the pandemic…: ‘The COVID-19 pandemic has led to huge numbers of people with compromised immune systems being admitted to hospitals, which are a known breeding ground for drug-resistant bacteria. Because of this influx, these hospital-associated bacteria will now have a much wider potential target group.’

“According to Mr McCarthy, emerging evidence suggests that many coronavirus patients are being diagnosed with secondary infections while in hospital. He said: ‘… there is some evidence that multidrug-resistant bacteria are among the germs causing these secondary infections.’ As a result, many coronavirus patients are given antibiotics, despite the fact that they won’t treat the virus itself. Mr McCarthy said: ‘This rapid increase in antibiotic use, particularly in hospitals, will apply a strong selective pressure on bacteria to evolve resistance.’”

This appears to be a real danger. It is known that even in “normal” times, the frequent use or better misuse of antibiotics can do more harm than good.

Death Certificates Have Always Been Extremely Unreliable

USA Today wrote on April 26:

“Up to 1 in 3 death certificates nationwide were wrong before COVID-19, Bob Anderson, chief of the mortality statistics branch at the National Center for Health Statistics, said in an interview with the USA TODAY Network… Experts said the inaccuracies are part and parcel of a patchwork, state-by-state system of medical examiners, coroners and doctors who have disparate medical backgrounds, and in some cases none at all.

“The problem is likely to get worse as the pandemic inundates overworked and sometimes untrained officials who fill out the forms…

“Inaccurate death reporting is a long-standing problem. A review of Missouri hospitals in 2017, for example, found nearly half of death certificates listed an incorrect cause of death. A Vermont study found 51% of death certificates had major errors. Nearly half of the physicians the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention surveyed in 2010 admitted that they knowingly reported an inaccurate cause of death.

“Death certificates regularly lack enough details to accurately pinpoint the cause of death, Anderson said. ‘For example, cardiac arrest is not an acceptable cause of death, because everybody dies of cardiac arrest,’ Anderson said. ‘That just means your heart stopped.’…

“Physicians, coroners, medical examiners, and in some states, other medical personnel, such as nurse practitioners, can legally sign death certificates…”

In light of these comments, the alleged accuracy of the figures claiming death by the coronavirus becomes even more disputable.

 Tucker Carlson on the Attack against Lockdowns

Fox News wrote on April 28:

“Tucker Carlson began Monday’s edition of ‘Tucker Carlson Tonight’ by playing a video clip posted by Dr. Daniel Erickson of Bakersfield, Calif., in which Erickson gave his analysis of the coronavirus pandemic and called for an end to shelter-in-place orders around the U.S. ‘These are serious people who’ve done this for a living for decades. They have in their hands the largest currently available data sets on this question,’ Carlson said. ‘And the question they’re asking after analyzing all of those numbers [is] “Are the lockdowns worth it?” So what is the answer to that?

“‘What’s so striking is that so many politicians, the ones enforcing the lockdowns, don’t seem at all interested in asking it,’ Carlson added. ‘Instead, they’re bullying forward as if nothing has changed… Remember what they first told us back in February and March? They said we have to take radical steps in order to “flatten the curve.” Well, six weeks later, we’re happy to say that curve has been flattened, but it’s likely not because of the lockdown,’ Carlson said. ‘The virus just isn’t nearly as deadly as we thought it was.’

“The host also mentioned the negative impact of the lockdown on hospitals around America. ‘The result of this policy? In many hospitals, entire floors have been mothballed. Doctors and nurses are being furloughed in the middle of a pandemic,’ Carlson said. ‘This is insanity. It weakens our health care system. Its effects will last for many years. That’s all from the lockdown.’

“Carlson cited the SARS virus as a reason why Americans cannot wait for a vaccine for the economy to reopen. ‘We spent millions of dollars and more than a decade trying to find a vaccine for the SARS virus. Scientists never developed one. That’s a shame. But did we hold life in the United States in response?’ Carlson said. ‘We didn’t. In fact, you may not even remember that any of that happened. The striking thing is, the science has not changed that much since then,’ Carlson added. ‘Unfortunately, American politics have changed a lot. And that’s the difference.’”

This is a very true assessment of the situation and the insanity ruling this world. Unfortunately, most still do not understand.

Trump’s “Hypocritical” Immigration Policy

The Week wrote on April 25:

“On Wednesday, Trump signed an executive order that bars [certain] forms of immigration to the United States for the next 60 days… [It] is the culmination of what has been a set of increasingly restrictive immigration policies put out by his administration since COVID-19 began. All along, Trump and his allies have defended these restrictions primarily as sensible health measures, meant only to protect Americans from infection-carrying outsiders.

“The latest… immigration decision by Trump this week took place just as he was also ramping up his latest push to end the lockdowns and reopen the American economy… The blatant hypocrisy of… using supposed health concerns as the basis for limiting immigration is trademark Trump doublespeak… If the virus is serious enough to suspend immigration, then the economy shouldn’t be reopened…

“Since early March… the Trump administration has diligently made more than a dozen changes to the U.S. immigration system…

“In justifying this week’s executive order, Trump said he was suspending immigration to protect American jobs from being taken by outside workers, a change from his earlier arguments that any immigration restrictions were designed to lessen the health threat immigrants posed to Americans. With more than 26 million Americans filing jobless claims… it’s not a mystery why Trump has shifted from a health-based justification to an economic rationale for his immigration order…

“Whether he characterizes them as deadly to American lives or destructive to the nation’s economy, Trump constantly scapegoats immigrants for America’s problems, especially those of his own making. Still, no matter how many people he keeps out of the country, it won’t do one thing to curb the sickness that is raging within.

People always need to find a scapegoat which they can blame and persecute—whether it’s professing or true Christians, Jews and now immigrants. The sickness raging within our country is most certainly not limited to coronavirus—a far more dangerous sickness is that of the soul and the mind.

Also, Vatican News reported on April 24 that the American Catholic Bishops criticized Trump’s suspension of applications for green cards for 60 days. They stated that there are not really any indications that those immigrants would take away jobs from Americans, as claimed by Trump as “justification” for his executive order. The Bishops are absolutely correct, as we pointed out in our previous Update. One must not overlook that Trump’s immigration measures are part of an agenda to destroy, step by step, our immigration laws and policies as we once knew them. Trump announced that much when he ran for president, and no one should be surprised when he carries out what he had proclaimed.

Stephen Miller—The Instigator behind the Trump Immigration Agenda

The Independent wrote on April 24:

“Donald Trump’s senior policy adviser Stephen Miller told White House supporters in a private call this week that the president’s new executive order curbing immigration will usher in the kind of broader long-term changes to American society he has advocated for years, even though the 60-day measures were publicly characterised as a ‘pause’ during the coronavirus pandemic…

“Mr Miller told the group that subsequent measures were under consideration that would restrict guest worker programs…

“The Trump administration has been trying for years to scrap the family-based US immigration model, which Mr Miller and other restrictionists call ‘chain migration.’… Although Mr Trump described his order this week as a temporary ‘pause,’ he also said it is an open-ended move that will remain in place until he decides the US labour market has sufficiently improved once the coronavirus crisis subsides…

“Mr Miller has been the leading proponent of the argument that immigrants compete for jobs with US workers and depress their wages. The argument is anathema to many economists and pro-business Republicans who argue that immigration fuels long-term US growth and keeps US industries competitive. The debate remains a significant fault line in the Republican Party, with many GOP members unwilling to support the more hard-line positions Mr Miller backs. Mr Trump’s efforts to overhaul the immigration system have floundered in Congress…

“Mr Trump acknowledged sending out the tweet before the order was written, and the version he signed Wednesday was far less sweeping than the one he had teased on social media. It does not apply to immigrants already living and working in the United States who are seeking permanent residency, nor does it apply to the spouses and children of US citizens, among other exemptions. But the measure, which took effect Thursday, does block the other immigrant visa categories Mr Trump calls chain migration,’ namely the ability for US citizens to sponsor their parents, adult children and siblings…”

These kinds of immigration restrictions are cruel and unjustifiable. In tearing apart families or preventing children from helping their old parents, they are in direct violation of God’s Word and fall under the condemnation of Jesus who chastised the Pharisees for such ungodly behavior.

Postponing Presidential Election?

AfP wrote on April 24:

“Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has predicted that US President Donald Trump will try to postpone the country’s November election… ‘Mark my words, I think he is gonna try to kick back the election somehow, come up with some rationale why it can’t be held,’ Biden said…

“Biden, highlighting Trump’s recent threat to veto emergency funding for the US Post Office, claimed it was an example of the president’s intention to ‘do all he can to make it very hard for people to vote.’

“While mail-in voting and absentee ballots remain methods many say could help limit voters spreading coronavirus, Trump maintains they create the potential for fraud. Meanwhile, dozens of US states have postponed their primary races, which will officially determine who will be the presidential nominee.”

The Guardian wrote on April 24:

“Under the law, no president has the power to postpone the presidential election. To change the date, Congress has to intervene. Trump has not announced plans to delay the 3 November election, but it is a concern both political parties have raised… The Covid-19 outbreak has also increased concerns about how to conduct in-person voting safely. In response, many are pushing for an expansion of voting by mail… Trump… urged Republicans to fight efforts to expand voting by mail.”

Biden may be right with his concerns regarding a “postponement” of the election…

Reviving America? Get Real!

CNN wrote on April 26:

“Another 4.4 million Americans filed first-time jobless claims last week, bringing the number of people who’ve lost work in the past five weeks to an apocalyptic 26.5 million… People who never had their hands out before are going to food banks, and the unemployment rate is suddenly approaching Great Depression territory. It’s the same story around the world.

“… even if the virus were waning across the US — which it isn’t — shops, restaurants, bars and movie theaters would likely reopen at reduced capacity. A cafe that had six waiters might need only three. And there’s no guarantee those other jobs will ever come back. That scenario will be repeated millions of times over. Fewer workers will mean fewer people with money to buy cars and go on vacation — which will mean that industries like tourism, entertainment and hospitality have a long haul. So after the battle against the coronavirus is won, the war to revive America will likely continue. We’re talking years, not months.”

America may never revive.

Schools on Saturdays in Germany?

En24 wrote on April 24:

“In view of the massive loss of teaching in the Corona crisis, [Minister of Education Anja] Karliczek is also open to teaching on Saturdays. One should ‘not rule out an option’, she said… Saturday might be needed to teach everyone three times a week.”

She also advocates a mask requirement for schoolchildren, and she spoke of a vaccine by next year. She is an “engaged” Catholic and serves under Angela Merkel, being a member of the CDU. Before her “surprise appointment” by Merkel in 2018 as Minister of Education, she was virtually unknown in Germany.

Focus wrote on April 24 that a controversial debate regarding teaching in school on Saturdays has begun in Germany. After quoting Karliczek’s comments, the magazine continued that Schleswig-Holstein‘s Minister for Education, Karin Prien (CDU), also raised the possibility of opening schools on Saturdays, but that she encountered strong resistance from the state’s labor union, as, according to leader Astrid Henke, schools on Saturdays would be to the detriment of teachers; and that therefore, the labor union rejects this option categorically.

Karin Prien is of Jewish origin and was born and grew up in the Netherlands, where her maternal grandparents had fled in the early 1930s before the emergence of National Socialism in Germany. She later moved to Germany. Prien has declared that she does not feel Jewish and that she has no relationship to the Jewish religion.

Of course, the very thought that school on Saturday violates God’s explicit command to remember His Sabbath Day does not even enter the minds of carnal people… and if it does, it is immediately rejected. The violation of the Sabbath is one important aspect of the mark of the beast.

Italian Bishops Object to Unacceptable Governmental Restrictions

Vatican News wrote on April 27:

“The Italian Bishops’ Conference… addressed the policies that would continue to restrict the Church’s ability to carry out its pastoral activity. The Bishops of Italy made it clear that any move to compromise the ‘exercise of freedom of religion’ is unacceptable… the note continues, the plan presented by Prime Minister Conte ‘arbitrarily excludes the possibility of celebrating Mass with the people’.

“… In the dialogue with government offices, the note continues, the Bishops’ Conference has stressed, repeatedly and explicitly, that as soon as the measures taken to deal with the pandemic began to be lifted, ‘the Church would demand to be able to resume its pastoral activity’.”

The Christian Churches have been cowardly quiet far too long all over the world when “dealing” with secular governments. And the waffling and backpedaling Pope does not help. Note the next article.

Pope Plays Politics… What Else Is New?

Crux Now wrote on April 28:

“Since Pope Francis began livestreaming his daily Mass from the Vatican’s Santa Marta residence, many people around the world have been grateful for the opportunity to hear the pope’s words and to participate, albeit virtually, in his liturgy, helping to break the isolation of the coronavirus quarantine. Tuesday morning, however, probably no one was more grateful than Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte.

“Conte got a badly needed favor, as the pontiff essentially hit the off switch on mounting Catholic resistance to the PM’s program for recovery by calling for ‘prudence and obedience.’ What remains to be seen is whether… the utterance was… a clever political tactic, in effect putting the Italian leader in the pope’s debt and creating capital Italy’s bishops now can spend in negotiations with the government…”

This reminds us somehow of the relationship between the (then) Pope and Mussolini.

The Craziness of Spain

The Independent wrote on April 27

“Spain’s government lifted a home confinement rule for children under 14 years old after 44 days on Sunday, ending one of the most restrictive measures of its national lockdown to rein in a coronavirus outbreak… Even Italy, with more deaths than Spain, has not kept its youngsters completely secluded.

“Spain’s 5.8 million children under 14-years-old are now allowed to take walks once a day, accompanied by a parent for up to one hour and within a kilometre of their home. Many children took out their bikes and scooters. Kids can take one toy with them, but they are not to play with other children. They can accompany a parent on shopping outings for food, medicine or a newspaper…

“Since the start of Spain’s state of emergency on 14 March, adults can only leave home for essential shopping or to make unavoidable commutes to work… Prime minister Pedro Sanchez said on Saturday that he plans to permit adults to go out for exercise next week… Parents still have no indication when schools will reopen. Only factory and construction workers are back on the job after a two-week stoppage of all industry. All non-essential retail stores are shuttered…”

This reminds one of the totalitarian regime under Franco who collaborated with Hitler.

No Brexit Extension?

The Huffington Post wrote on April 27:

Despite the likelihood of a recession this year following the lockdown, the prime minister [Boris Johnson] is sticking to his Brexit principles and refusing calls to extend the transition period beyond December 31 to give the country a breather before the upheaval of leaving the EU single market and customs union…

“The UK also believes that extending the transition will not help the UK and EU strike a deal…”

A no-deal Brexit would be catastrophic for the UK.

Trump Praises Boris

Breitbart wrote on April 23:

“Speaking at a press conference Thursday, President Trump expressed his amazement at the rapid recovery of Britain’s Prime Minister. Revealing that when he picked up the phone to Mr Johnson he expected him to sound exhausted, instead ‘he was ready to go’. President Trump said Mr Johnson was like ‘the old Boris’, with ‘tremendous energy and tremendous drive.’

“He continued: ‘I was very surprised, because he called me pretty close to when he got out of the hospital. I think he’s doing great. He was so sharp and energetic. Pretty incredible. He’s an incredible guy. He’s a friend of ours and a friend of mine…they’re lucky to have him over there.’”

Watch the triumvirate —Trump, Johnson and Netanyahu.

EU Threatens Israel

Breaking Israel News wrote on April 24:

“Rather than congratulate Israel on forming a unity government after three elections, many governments responded by warning the new alliance against annexing Biblical Judea and Samaria…

“The agreement [between Netanyahu and Gantz] also stated that the new government would bring Donald Trump’s ‘vision for peace’ to a government vote from 1 July. The plan gives Israel full military control over Judea and Samaria

“The European Union and several European states… made public statements saying that Israeli annexation of Judea and Samaria would endanger their relations with Israel…

“The announcement comes significantly the day after the Holocaust Day of Remembrance. The first stage of the genocide perpetrated against the Jews of Europe in 1939 was to restrict Jews from entering specific sections of Germany and by later deporting them. It should also be remembered that the inception of Palestinian nationalism began with an alliance between Haj Al-Amin Husseini, the mufti of Jerusalem, and Nazi Germany… March 12 marked 82 years since Adolf Hitler, a native Austrian, led Germany to annex Austria, which led to more than 65,000 Austrian Jews being murdered during the Holocaust…

“The EU said annexing Palestinian territory ‘would constitute a serious violation of international law.’ The German mission said it ‘advises against the annexation of occupied Palestinian territories’ as this would have negative repercussions on the viability of the two-state solution and Israel’s standing in the international community.

French Ambassador Nicolas de Rivière… said annexation ‘would not pass unchallenged and shall not be overlooked in our relationship with Israel.’ In stark contrast, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday that annexing parts of the West Bank is ‘ultimately Israel’s decision to make.’”

Europe’s hostility towards Israel is only too obvious. Netanyahu said Sunday that he was “confident” US President Donald Trump would let him fulfill his election promise to apply Israeli sovereignty over parts of the West Bank “a couple of months from now.”

Netanyahu Jr. Speaks out

Times of Israel wrote on April 28:

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s elder son, Yair, on Tuesday condemned the European Union for supporting a joint Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Day event the previous evening organized by bereaved parents on both sides of the conflict. ‘Shame on you for financing a disgrace in the holiest day of the Israeli calendar! We have one day in a year to remember our fallen soldiers! And you destroy it with a “memorial” to Palestinian terrorists!’ he wrote on his Twitter account… ‘EU is an enemy of Israel, and an enemy to all European Christian countries!…’

“Last year, Prime Minister Netanyahu denounced the Tel Aviv event and ordered a halt to permits for dozens of West Bank Palestinians who were planning on attending, citing security precautions. The High Court of Justice overturned the decision, arguing that it was not legitimate to bar the attendees’ entry for security reasons… [Yoel’s] brother Eyal was killed in Operation Defensive Shield in 2002…

“The younger Netanyahu has gained a reputation as an arch-conservative… Most recently, two weeks ago, he sparked a firestorm of criticism by appearing to wish that left-wing Israelis die of the coronavirus… Yair Netanyahu’s comments drew immediate and vociferous rebuke, including from his father, whose office released a statement saying that he ‘roundly rejects the remarks.’”

Even though, the question is whether he speaks, to an extent, for his father.

Israel Condemns Egypt for TV Show

Times of Israel wrote on April 26:

“Israel’s Foreign Ministry on Sunday condemned a new Egyptian TV drama set in the year 2120 that predicts the Jewish state’s destruction, as well as the breakup of the United States… The Egyptian series ‘El-Nehaya’ — Arabic for ‘The End’ — is about a computer engineer living in a dystopian future dominated by cyborg clones…

“In the first episode, a teacher tells a class of students about ‘the war to liberate Jerusalem,’ which he says occurred less than 100 years after Israel’s founding in 1948. The teacher says Jews in Israel ‘ran away and returned to their countries of origin’ in Europe…  A holographic map of a divided US is also shown, with the teacher saying that ‘America was the central supporter of the Zionist state.’ …

“The series is produced by Synergy, one of Egypt’s largest production companies, which has strong links with the government of President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi. The series airs on the ON television network, which is owned by a pro-government company. The show’s writer, Amr Samir Atif, told The Associated Press that the destruction of Israel ‘is a possible future in the absence of real peace and true stability in the region…’”

Only, it won’t occur in 2120, but much earlier.

Towards the Third Temple

Breaking Israel News wrote on April 26:

“In the wake of an agreement with political rival Benny Gantz, head of the Blue and White party, rumors currently abound that Prime Minister Netanyahu will appoint the current Culture and Sports Minister Miri Regev to replace Gilad Erdan as Internal Security Minister. According to media reports, if appointed, Regev will offer the position of police commissioner to the former Jerusalem District Police Commander Maj. Gen. Yoram Halevi

“Halevi’s role in helping Jews ascend the Temple Mount is professional but it also reflects his family’s Biblical role in the Temple, one which will only increase after the Temple is built. As his name implies, the police chief is from the tribe of Levi, which was charged with several key roles in the Temple including guarding the complex…”

This would be an interesting development in light of the prophecies of the Bible that a Third Temple will be built on the Temple Mount prior to Christ’s return, and that Levites will officiate at the Temple.

Erdogan Defends Top Religious Official on his Comments on Homosexuality

AFP wrote on April 28:

“Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday defended a top religious official who claimed homosexuality caused diseases, corrupted people and was condemned in Islamic teaching. Ali Erbas, head of a state-funded agency called the Diyanet, which runs mosques and appoints imams, also claimed during his weekly sermon that homosexuality caused HIV.

“The Ankara bar association of lawyers accused him of inciting hatred against gay people… But Erdogan dismissed the criticism, saying  ‘an attack against the Diyanet chief is an attack on the state’ before adding: ‘What he said was totally right.’”

In Germany, spokespersons of all three major parties have condemned Erbas’ comments, stating that German schools must teach “tolerance” towards homosexuals.  

Mother Nature’s Revenge?

Breaking Israel News reported on April 26:

“Conservative pundit Ben Shapiro took to the airwaves on his Daily Wire program blasting Pope Francis for promoting what Shapiro considered pagan after the Pope commemorated Earth Day which Shapiro said was a ‘Pagan holiday.’

“The… monologue of the April 22 broadcast was as follows:

“‘I’m starting to see the pagan awakening of some… suggesting that this is nature’s revenge… Now, I have been informed by reliable sources that nature does not actually have intent. I have been informed by reliable sources on the left that God doesn’t exist, number one, and then even if God did exist, nature doesn’t have intent, right? I mean, evolutionary biology suggests that basically it’s survival of the fittest out there… Mother Nature has decided to release a virus, unleash a plague upon us [– that is] pretty pagan…

“‘So Pope Francis actually pushed this nonsense yesterday… He made an impassioned plea… for protection of the environment on Wednesday’s 50th anniversary of the first Earth Day, which again is a pagan holiday.’”

The Pope also said that while God and humans may forgive, nature does not forgive.  Stupid comments indeed.

Widespread Famine

Breaking Israel News wrote on April 26:

“The world is heading towards widespread famine ‘of biblical proportions’ due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the chief of the UN’s food relief agency warns… Over 30 developing [countries] worldwide could experience widespread famine. In 10 of those countries, over 1 million people [are] on the brink of starvation.

“The UN official connects the pandemic in the developing countries to a strain on the economy that he says is already limiting resources. ‘This is truly more than just a pandemic – it is creating a hunger pandemic,’ said Beasley. ‘This is a humanitarian and food catastrophe… this is the perfect storm.’”

End-time worldwide famine and disease epidemics are prophesied in the Bible. See also the next article.

Panam Post wrote on April 27:

“An impending ‘hunger pandemic’ will bring ‘the worst humanitarian crisis since World War II,’ World Food Programme (WFP) Executive Director David Beasley warned the United Nations Security Council. The number of starving people could exceed the number of deaths from coronaviruses at 300,000 per day within three months…

“He says that famine is ‘a very real and dangerous possibility’ in at least 36 countries because of ongoing wars and conflicts, economic crises, and natural disasters… the countries most at risk of famine are in the Middle East and Africa, the economic crisis in Lebanon, [Venezuela] the wars in Syria and Yemen, and the desert locust swarms that are destroying crops in much of East Africa have put these regions at risk of mass starvation.

“Now, the crisis is aggravated by the coronavirus pandemic and the economic paralysis it has caused…”

Meat Production in Danger

Finance Yahoo wrote on April 26:

“Plant shutdowns are leaving the U.S. dangerously close to meat shortages as coronavirus outbreaks spread to suppliers across the nation and the Americas. Almost a third of U.S. pork capacity is down, the first big poultry plants closed on Friday and experts are warning that domestic shortages are just weeks away. Brazil, the world’s No. 1 shipper of chicken and beef, saw its first major closure with the halt of a poultry plant owned by JBS SA, the world’s biggest meat company. Key operations are also down in Canada, the latest being a British Columbia poultry plant.

“… the staggering acceleration of supply disruptions is now raising questions over global shortfalls. Taken together, the U.S., Brazil and Canada account for about 65% of world meat trade… New U.S. shutdowns are hitting at a dizzying rate…

“Prices are surging. U.S. wholesale beef touched a record in the week ended April 24, and wholesale pork soared 29%, the biggest weekly gain since 2012…

“There haven’t yet been big shutdowns in Europe. The European Union accounts for about a fifth of global meat exports…

“Total American meat supplies in cold-storage facilities are equal to roughly two weeks of production. With most plant shutdowns lasting about 14 days for safety reasons, that further underscores the potential for deficits.

“Meanwhile, with slaughterhouses closing, farmers don’t have a place to sell their animals. That’s forcing some livestock producers to dispose of them… It’s been reported that a large chicken-processing company was forced to kill 2 million of its birds earlier this month because of worker shortages. That’s the latest cruel blow to supply chains, with food being wasted en masse at the same time that grocery store shelves are running empty…”

Millions of Pounds of Meat Will Disappear

CNN Business wrote on April 27:

“Tyson Foods (TSN) is warning that ‘millions of pounds of meat’ will disappear from the supply chain as the coronavirus pandemic pushes food processing plants to close leading to product shortages in grocery stores across the country. ‘The food supply chain is breaking,’ wrote board chairman John Tyson in a full-page advertisement published Sunday in The New York Times, Washington Post and Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

“US farmers don’t have anywhere to sell their livestock, he said, adding that ‘millions of animals — chickens, pigs and cattle — will be depopulated because of the closure of our processing facilities.’… TSN which employs roughly 100,000 workers, closed its pork plants in Waterloo, Iowa, and Logansport, Indiana, last week so that workers in those facilities could be tested for the virus.”

How We Destroy Our Food

Politico wrote on April 26:

“Tens of millions of pounds of American-grown produce is rotting in fields as food banks across the country scramble to meet a massive surge in demand, a two-pronged disaster that has deprived farmers of billions of dollars in revenue while millions of newly jobless Americans struggle to feed their families…

“Images of farmers destroying tomatoes, piling up squash, burying onions and dumping milk shocked many Americans who remain fearful of supply shortages. At the same time, people who recently lost their jobs lined up for miles outside some food banks, raising questions about why there has been no coordinated response at the federal level to get the surplus of perishable food to more people in need…

“The precipitous drop in demand left many growers with no choice but to trash excess food or leave it in the fields because the cost of picking, packing and storing the crops would only put them further in the hole. Some with more resources in hand took on the cost of harvesting and donating the food themselves, but the gut-wrenching reality is that crops are being abandoned on an unprecedented scale

“The scale of produce waste is staggering. Farmers in Florida, which provides much of the fresh produce to the eastern half of the U.S. during the winter and spring, left about 75 percent of the lettuce crop unharvested, along with significant portions of the state’s sweet corn, cabbage and squash. Up to 250 million pounds of tomatoes could end up left in the fields… Florida officials estimate produce growers there have taken a half a billion dollar hit. In California, the industry is projected to lose more than $1 billion per month…

“The dairy industry, for its part, estimates that its supply is currently 10 percent greater than domestic demand, in part because of the closure of thousands of K-12 schools, which are usually significant consumers of milk. The upheaval has strained dairy processors’ ability to turn milk into more storable products like cheese… about 5 percent of the country’s milk is currently being dumped.”

The governmental unrestricted panic-driven measures in their fight against the coronavirus have been having terrible consequences for just about every area of life. 

Please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Worldwide Famine Is Prophesied.”  

A Decades-Old Prediction on Europe’s Destruction May Come True Soon

Express wrote on April 26:

“The BBC Panorama special, dubbed ‘If The Bomb Drops’ was broadcast on March 10, 1980, and… came at a time of heightened tensions in the so-called Cold War between the Soviet Union, and its respective allies in the Eastern Bloc, and the US and its coalition of NATO -backed countries…

“The video… cut to General Sir John Hackett, the former commander-in-chief of NATO’s northern army group, who painted a rather chilling image. He said: ‘After a nuclear war, the whole of Europe could become a vast uninhabitable desert.’”

A nuclear war is coming, and the Bible says that in that war, Europe with its (then) capital, Rome, will become “an uninhabitable desert” due to nuclear attacks by Far Eastern countries such as Russia and China.  

Germany’s Dramatic Increase in Military Expenditures

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 26:

“In Germany, [military expenditures] rose by 10% to $49.3 billion — the largest defense budget increase among the world’s top 15 states… the increase in Germany’s defense budget [is attributed to Trump’s demand to raise expenditure and] the fact that, ‘Russia is once again being considered as more of a threat.’ In 2019, almost 4% of Russia’s GDP went to military spending, amounting to $65.1 billion…

“Of the 15 countries in the world with the highest defense budgets, six are NATO members: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States. Their combined military expenditure makes up for almost half of the world’s total figure. In 2019, the total military expenditure of NATO’s 29 member states was some $1.04 trillion… in 2019 the US was responsible for 38% of global military expenditure, totaling $732 billion. The increase over its 2018 budget alone amounted to the equivalent of Germany’s total expenditure in 2019.”

Still, Germany’s increased military expenditure is not just “accidental.”

The Coming Greater Depression

Project Syndicate wrote on April 28:

“The policy response to the COVID-19 crisis entails a massive increase in fiscal deficits — on the order of 10% of GDP or more — at a time when public debt levels in many countries were already high, if not unsustainable…

“… the loss of income for many households and firms means that private-sector debt levels will become unsustainable… potentially leading to mass defaults and bankruptcies… the crisis is also creating a massive slack in goods (unused machines and capacity) and labor markets (mass unemployment)…

“Populist leaders often benefit from economic weakness, mass unemployment, and rising inequality. Under conditions of heightened economic insecurity, there will be a strong impulse to scapegoat foreigners for the crisis. Blue-collar workers and broad cohorts of the middle class will become more susceptible to populist rhetoric, particularly proposals to restrict migration and trade

“Recurring epidemics (HIV since the 1980s, SARS in 2003, H1N1 in 2009, MERS in 2011, Ebola in 2014-16) [and pandemics]… will become more frequent, severe, and costly in the years ahead… any happy ending assumes that we find a way to survive the coming Greater Depression.”

“Greater” than even the “Great” Depression?

Tourism Industry in Big Trouble

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 28:

“No one can say when and how the borders will reopen for travel, said Germany’s Government Commissioner for Tourism Thomas Bareiss. ‘It is rather unlikely that German tourists will travel to Spain or Greece in summer,’ he added. It is more likely that Germans will stay in their own country or region this year…

The tourism industry’s economic situation is a disaster not only in the southern European states bordering the Mediterranean, but in Germany, too. The travel industry expects a drop in bookings of package tours of up to 70% this year. The EU Commission estimates that with a loss of 90%, cruise companies will be hit hardest…

“However, it remains completely unclear when the EU interior ministers will agree on a coordinated plan for opening the borders for tourists. Officials in the EU Commission who are supposed to draw up guidelines for travel have been reluctant. First, the individual states would have to lift domestic travel restrictions, making travel to neighboring regions possible. Then, travel between neighboring states would have to become possible, and lastly, intra-European air traffic. No one knows when tourist travel to Asia, the US and other parts of the world will be possible again…”

That is the disastrous result and outcome when men try to deal with problems of their own making.

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.

This Week in the News

Netanyahu Stays as Prime Minister

JTA wrote on April 20:

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz signed a deal Monday to form a ‘national emergency government’ that keeps Netanyahu as the prime minister for [18 months. Gantz would be prime minister-designate]. Israel has spent more than a year under a caretaker government as neither Netanyahu nor Gantz could assemble a coalition government. With the agreement, the country avoids a fourth national election in less than a year and a half.

“Monday evening… is the start of Yom Hashoah, or Holocaust Remembrance Day.”

Israel Today wrote on April 19:

“Benjamin Netanyahu again showed his political genius and expertise… Many are having trouble believing that Netanyahu will keep his word and step down in another year-and-a-half…

“What is certain is that Netanyahu has come out on top… Benjamin Netanyahu has proved time and again that he is the most savvy and experienced politician in Israel. Despite the tireless efforts to remove him from power, he is here to stay…”

Please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Netanyahu Is Here to Stay… Why?” .

Al-Aqsa Mosque Closed

Breaking Israel News wrote on April 20:

“Prayer at the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City will be banned during the Muslim holiday of Ramadan in order to help stop the spread of the coronavirus, Muslim clerics said on Thursday. This is the first recorded closure of the mosque since its construction in 692 CE.

“The Jordan-appointed Waqf council that oversees Jerusalem’s Islamic sites called the decision ‘painful,’ though said it was ‘in line with legal fatwas [Islamic religious rulings] and medical advice,’ according to Reuters. The decision extends an already existing suspension of prayer at the site that has been in effect since March 23.

“Muslims should ‘perform prayers in their homes during the month of Ramadan, to preserve their safety,’ said the council.”

When the Al Aqsa mosque can be closed that easily during a health crisis, it is no longer so far-fetched to see how it can be replaced in a bigger war-like crisis.

New Protestant Bible with Glaring Omissions

Breaking Israel News reported on April 20:

“… the Danish Bible Society just published a revised translation of the New Testament. The new edition has many surprises… the word ‘Israel’ is only used once in the ‘Bible 2020’, which is the name of the new edition. In all other passages, the word ‘Israel’ is either replaced with ‘Jews’, ‘the land of the Jews, or not replaced with any alternative term…

“Posts on social media suggested that the change may have been politically motivated as an anti-Israel statement… the new edition has already been downloaded to more than 90 countries… the Danish Bible Society is run by the Evangelical Lutheran Church…

“It should be noted that the term ‘Israel’ is used a total of 73 times in the New Testament… The word ‘ Israel’ appears over 2,200 times in the Torah, Writings, and Prophets…”

First, the Catholic Church changed the calendar from Saturday to Sunday, by designating the first day of the week (Sunday) as the seventh day of the week, the biblical Sabbath. Now, the Protestant Church changes Israel to Jew, or omits it altogether. One wonders what will be next.

Dutch Court Approves Euthanasia

The Guardian wrote on April 21:

“Doctors in the Netherlands are able to carry out euthanasia on patients with severe dementia without fear of prosecution even if the patient no longer expresses an explicit wish to die, the country’s highest court has ruled…  ‘A physician may carry out a written request beforehand for euthanasia in people with advanced dementia.’…

“The case was seen as an important test of the law in the Netherlands, which legalised euthanasia in 2002, followed shortly afterwards by neighbouring Belgium.”

One of God’s commandments reads: You shall not kill.

EU Army after UK Has Left Europe

uwidata wrote on March 24:

“… the European Union… is pursuing numerous high-profile projects… in order to improve its defense… and sovereignty. Its strongest bet is the PESCO (Permanent Structured Cooperation)…

“It currently has 25… States and is carrying out 17 defense collaboration projects that include a medical command, maritime surveillance, cyber security and military mobility. This last point is of great importance as it suggests the possible creation of a joint force capable of acting wherever needed…

“As soon as it joined the European Union, the United Kingdom was reluctant to cede its sovereignty to Brussels, especially in the area of ​​defense. Nonetheless, it covered 25% of the EU defense budget: now the burden will fall mainly between France and Germany. The Anglo-Saxon country continuously tried to block any project to form a common defense force with Europe, always betting on NATO first, following the interests of Washington and influencing countries such as Poland, sewing distrust around the idea of a joint defense pact in the European Community…. The departure of the United Kingdom is a huge opportunity to consolidate a serious defense policy in the EU that is not blocked by a member state…

“The European Union needs to create a force capable of facing any adversity without depending on third countries. The exit of the United Kingdom from the EU is perhaps one of the most important and determining elements for the PESCO, and for the general consolidation of a common European Union defense pact, which would allow the organization to improve its defenses and gain independence from NATO and the United States. However, it must be recognized that this presents a challenging scenario for member countries that will have to adapt to the needs that such commitment and cooperation demands, relinquishing some degree of sovereignty in favor of a common effort by all member states.”

A European army is coming… and it will be a challenge to the USA.

Foreign Powers Challenge US Military

The Hill wrote on April 19:

“U.S. adversaries are probing America’s defenses as the world is preoccupied with the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. In the past two weeks, Russia, China, Iran and North Korea have all moved to test Washington in the sea, in the air and on land as U.S. forces have become more restricted in movement amid concerns over the spread of COVID-19…

“On Tuesday, North Korea launched ground cruise missiles and air-to-surface missiles from fighter jets into the sea, the first time in three years Pyongyang had launched such projectiles. That followed a slew of short-range ballistic missile tests in March as the hermit nation took part in large-scale live-fire military training.

“Then on Wednesday… a Russian fighter jet came within 25 feet of a Navy reconnaissance aircraft while inverted, putting the U.S. ‘pilots and crew at risk,’ the Navy said in a statement about the incident. That same day, 11 ships from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy repeatedly came close to U.S. Navy and Coast Guard Ships in ‘dangerous and harassing approaches’ in the Gulf.

“China, meanwhile, has been showing its force in the Pacific region, sinking a Vietnamese fishing boat in the South China Sea on April 2 and sending its aircraft carrier near Japan’s and Taiwan’s territorial waters…

“Flexing their might is not new for these rival countries, but the difference now is that the U.S. military and the nation at large seems to be preoccupied in a way it hasn’t been before as it deals with the pandemic… To combat the spreading illness, the Pentagon has restricted troop movement and on Saturday extended a domestic and overseas travel ban for service members until June 30 — more than a month past the original end date of May 11. In addition, the department has paused routine rotations and port calls, canceled war games, and curtailed individuals entering basic training…”

CNN wrote on April 20:

“A Russian fighter aircraft approached a US Navy aircraft over the Mediterranean Sea Sunday… The US Navy it said was the second time in four days that Russian pilots made unsafe maneuvers while intercepting US aircraft. ‘The unnecessary actions of the Russian SU-35 pilot were inconsistent with good airmanship and international flight rules, seriously jeopardizing the safety of flight of both aircraft,’ the US Navy said.”

The Bible prophesies a complete economic and military downfall of the USA and that it will be occupied by a foreign power, even though it will not be Russia or China or North Korea or Iran (see next article). Still, are we seeing the beginnings of these developments?

“Shoot Them Down”

Reuters wrote on April 22:

“President Donald Trump said on Wednesday [in a tweet] he had instructed the U.S. Navy to fire on [“shoot down and destroy any and all Iranian gunboats”] any Iranian ships that harass it at sea, a week after 11 vessels from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) came dangerously close to American ships in the Gulf.

“Close interactions with Iranian military vessels were not uncommon in 2016 and 2017. On several occasions, U.S. Navy ships fired warning shots at Iranian vessels when they got too close. While the Navy has the authority to act in self-defense, Trump’s comments appeared to go further…

“Trump wrote [the] tweet, hours after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps said it had launched the country’s first military satellite into orbit.”

Over 26 Million Americans Filed for Unemployment So Far

 Breitbart wrote on April 23:

“The coronavirus continued to ravish the U.S. economy last week, with 4.4 million of Americans filing first-time unemployment claims… The total number of Americans who have lost their jobs since claims spiked five weeks ago because of coronavirus and shutdowns rose to around 26.4 million, enough to erase all the job gains since the economy began to recover after the financial crisis

“Self-employed workers and independent contractors can now file for benefits, expanding the number of claims… Actual job losses may be higher than the most recent figures reveal. Applications in many states have been hampered by websites and phone lines failing due to the rapid rise in the volume of claims.

“Employers are slashing their payrolls to try to stay afloat because their revenue has collapsed, especially at restaurants, hotels, gyms, movie theaters, and other venues that depend on face-to-face interaction. Auto sales have sunk, non-healthcare related manufacturing has ground to a halt, and factories have closed. More than 90 percent of the U.S. population is now under stay-at-home orders, which have been imposed by most U.S. states…”

Closing the country down has brought American economy to its knees. But this outcome was prophesied to happen.

Wildfires Threaten Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster Site

Breaking Israel News reported on April 17:

“Over 1,000 firefighters are struggling to control wildfires at the Chernobyl nuclear disaster site despite high-winds that threaten to send radioactive smoke to nearby residents as well as neighboring countries. The fire has been burning since April 3. It was successfully extinguished but fires cropped up again on Tuesday. Aerial firefighting equipment including helicopters and airplanes were brought in to fight the blaze earlier this week but high-winds are preventing these elements from being utilized in new blazes that have flared up. The fires are reportedly blazing less than one mile from the remains of the nuclear power plant…

“Chernobyl was home to a Soviet nuclear power plant which exploded on 26 April 1986 during an emergency drill that was botched, leading to an explosion and the meltdown of its number four reactor. It is still considered the worst peace-time nuclear disaster in history. Though it is uncertain how many deaths can be attributed to the disaster, the estimates range from 4,000-9,000 in former Soviet states to 16,000 fatalities when assessing the total continent of Europe…”

Global radioactive threats ARE prophesied.  

Beware of Criminal Scammers

Digital Trends wrote on April 17:

“Google has revealed that on each day over the past week, its Gmail-linked computer systems detected — and blocked — 18 million malware and phishing emails related to the coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. On top of that, it also blocked more than 240 million daily spam messages linked to the virus.

“… scammers will stop at nothing to trick innocent people into handing over cash… some are impersonating high-profile bodies such as the World Health Organization… The perpetrators send the bogus emails to try to solicit fraudulent donations, or  distribute malware, which, if downloaded, could give remote access to the victim’s computer or mobile device.

“Some criminals are imitating government institutions in a bid to trick small businesses, while others are trying to exploit people working from home for the first time, sending emails pretending to be from ‘the admin department’ and asking the recipient to click on a (dangerous) link. Although Gmail and other email platforms endeavor to catch these odious emails, you should still stay alert for such content, and always take extra care when it comes to downloading attachments or clicking on links.”

In times of these, criminal scammers manifest carnal human nature at its worst.

How to Silence Dissenters

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on April 17:

“In the Soviet Union, activists were sent to state psychiatric wards. According to the state, any and all opposition to government policy was considered a form of mental illness… It is not likely German lawyer Beate Bahner will be tortured like Brodsky. However, that does not make her arrest and forced confinement in a mental institution any less egregious…

“‘Bahner had become known in the past few days with a call for nationwide demonstrations and an urgent application for the abolition of all corona protective measures,’ reports Welt. ‘The [medical specialist] lawyer from Heidelberg considers the corona rules to be excessive and advocates for them to be abolished.’… Bahner’s website was shut down at the request of the Mannheim police…

“In America… police have threatened people for attending church services and disobeying social distancing mandates… In Australia and Britain, police are fining citizens for daring to go outside… The dictator president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, has ordered police and the military to shoot and kill all in violation of an iron-fisted lockdown…

“Officialdom has warned lockdowns may be in place until a vaccine is manufactured, possibly 18 months from now. This is a sure recipe for civil unrest and violence. It is not feasible for millions of people—and billions around the world—to endure lockdown and other authoritarian measures, possibly indefinitely.

“In Germany, the state has moved to declare opposition to the destruction of civilization a mental illness. As more people resist mass house arrest… the state will undoubtedly resort to measures above and beyond locking activists up in mental institutions… The [US] military is now engaged in a PR campaign to ‘reassure the public’ that it will use the appropriate protective equipment as it prepares to put down inevitable uprisings…”

Terrible. The fear as to what might happen in Germany is very real. Please view our recent program, “Shocking Developments in Germany—Comments on News and Prophecy, April 18, 2020” 

Dr. Oz and Dr. Phil under Fire

The LAT wrote on April 17:

“Two of television’s most well-known daytime hosts are under fire for their comments questioning stay-at-home restrictions put in place to contain the spread of the coronavirus. In a Thursday appearance on the Fox News show ‘The Ingraham Angle,’ Phil McGraw suggested it was dangerous to shut down the economy in order to stop the COVID-19 pandemic…

“‘The fact of the matter is 40,000 people die a year from automobile accidents. 480,000 from cigarettes. 360,000 a year die from swimming pools, but we don’t shut the country down for that. But yet we’re doing it for this?’ said the host of ‘Dr. Phil’…

“A day earlier, Dr. Mehmet Oz expressed similar sentiments during Fox News’ prime-time programming… Both hosts faced immediate backlash on social media… The statements… come amid a growing call among conservatives to ease social-distancing measures… Fox News personalities such as Laura Ingraham have been pushing to reopen the economy…

“In the same episode of ‘The Ingraham Angle’ on which McGraw appeared, Dr. Anthony Fauci… pushed back against Ingraham’s suggestion that the virus may simply ‘disappear’ without a vaccine…”

Stuffnews added on April 17:

“Elaborating on the long-term health risks of extreme isolation, [Dr. Phil] said, ‘This is invisible. I can’t show you an X-ray of depression. I can’t show you an X-ray of anxiety…

“‘There’s a point at which people start having enough problems in lockdown that it will actually create actually more destruction and actually more death across time than the actual virus will itself.’”

The left-liberal mass media does not like “dissenters” challenging their propaganda. Note the next articles.

Anti-Trump Bill Gates Supporters Fire Back

DNYUZ wrote on April 17:

“In a 2015 speech, Bill Gates warned that the greatest risk to humanity was not nuclear war but an infectious virus that could threaten the lives of millions of people. That speech has resurfaced in recent weeks with 25 million new views on YouTube — but not in the way that Mr. Gates probably intended. Anti-vaccinators, members of [a] conspiracy group… and right-wing pundits have instead seized on the video as evidence that one of the world’s richest men planned to use a pandemic to wrest control of the global health system…

“The wild claims have gained traction with conservative pundits like Laura Ingraham and anti-vaccinators such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Mr. Gates has emerged as a vocal counterweight to President Trump on the coronavirus. For weeks, Mr. Gates has appeared on TV, on op-ed pages and in Reddit forums calling for stay-at-home policies, expanded testing and vaccine development

“His disdain for Mr. Trump… has also become public… Mr. Kennedy, a son of former Senator Robert F. Kennedy, who campaigns against vaccines as a director of the Children’s Health Defense network… has said Mr. Gates pushes vaccines to feed his other business interests… Mr. Kennedy, whose Instagram followers have doubled to more than 285,000 since March, said in an interview that he was telling the truth about the ‘terrible damage’ that Mr. Gates had inflicted on the world with vaccines.

“In an April 7 tweet, Ms. Ingraham, a Fox News host, shared a conspiracy theory about nefarious motives behind Mr. Gates’s call to track and identify who had received a Covid-19 vaccine. ‘Digitally tracking Americans’ every move has been a dream of the globalists for years,’ she wrote…”

Trump Supports Protesters Who Demand End of Lock-Down

The Associated Press reported on April 17:

“Asked about the [nationwide] protesters, Trump expressed sympathy with their frustration — ‘They’re suffering … they want to get back’ … On Friday, he egged the protesters on, tweeting for supporters to ‘LIBERATE’ three states with Democratic governors: Michigan, Virginia and Minnesota.”

Breitbart wrote on April 19:

“President Donald Trump on Sunday continued to defend protesters of overbearing state lockdowns during the coronavirus pandemic. ‘These are great people … They’ve got cabin fever they want to get back. They want their life back; their life was taken away from them,’ Trump said. Trump was asked by Today‘s David Jackson if he is concerned his calls for ‘liberation’ and defending the Second Amendment are ‘inciting violence’ against some of the Democrat governors who enacted the lockdowns.

“But the president defended the protesters as patriotic. ‘I’ve seen American flags all over the place. I’ve never seen so many American flags at a rally than I’ve seen at those rallies,’ Trump said. ‘These people love our country. They want to get back to work.’”

Medical expert Anthony Fauci issued a warning to protestors, saying protests would only delay the re-opening of the country.

Small Businesses Could Not Get Funding Meant for Them

The Washington Post wrote on April 20:

“The federal government gave national hotel and restaurant chains millions of dollars in grants before the $349 billion program ran out of money Thursday, leading to a backlash that prompted one company to give the money back and a Republican senator to say that ‘millions of dollars are being wasted.’

“Thousands of traditional small businesses were unable to get funding from the program before it ran dry. As Congress and the White House near a deal to add an additional $310 billion to the program, some are calling for additional oversight and rule changes to prevent bigger chains from accepting any more money.”

 This is another example of man’s carnal selfish nature at its worst.

Facebook Works Hand in Hand with State Governments

Breitbart wrote on April 20:

“Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says that posts and pages attempting to organize protests against stay-at-home orders will be banned as ‘misinformation’… while at the same time saying that it’s important ‘that people can debate policies.’

“A Facebook spokesman confirmed to CNN that planned protests in California, New Jersey, and Nebraska were having their pages removed from Facebook at the request of state authorities…”

Clash Between Governors and Citizens Coming

The Hill wrote on April 20:

“Governors are heading for a clash with their own citizens and local officials as they weigh how and when to reopen the country’s economy amid the coronavirus pandemic…  governors are facing growing pressure from the public in states such as Ohio and Michigan, where protests have called on leaders to quickly lift stay-at-home orders and bans on large gatherings and to allow nonessential businesses to open their doors…

“More protests are expected in the coming days in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Idaho, giving a public voice to the opposition to social distancing restrictions across the country. In Michigan, a crowd of demonstrators organized by a conservative group on Wednesday descended on the state Capitol to protest Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s (D) stay-at-home order… Whitmer faces two lawsuits over her stay-at-home order, with the plaintiffs — Michigan residents and businesses — claiming the April 9 order infringes on the constitutionally protected freedom of association and due process rights…

“In New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy (D) has been under criticism for his decision to include churches and other houses of worship in his state’s strict social distancing guidelines. During a tense interview with Tucker Carlson of Fox News, Murphy was asked about constitutional protections after police broke up a rabbi’s funeral in early April at a synagogue in Ocean County, N.J., arresting 15 men. ‘That’s above my pay grade, Tucker,’ Murphy replied. ‘I wasn’t thinking of the Bill of Rights when we did this…’

“The landmark 1905 Supreme Court decision in Jacobson v. Massachusetts held that constitutional rights can be lawfully restricted when emergency public health measures are in place, though the precise scope of government public health power is not clearly defined. But there has not been a direct legal ruling yet on mandatory stay-at-home orders, and state and local leaders could find themselves dragged into court fights if they adopt an overly aggressive approach to enforcing mitigation measures… Governors and local officials may need to walk a tight line in enforcing restrictions…”

Abuse of Power by US Governors

Newsmax wrote on April 20:

“Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who has been in lock-down in Italy for several weeks, on Monday said there are several U.S. governors who are showing their ‘ideological bias’ with shutdown rules and people have their ‘teeth on edge because they’re watching politicians abuse their power.’

“‘One governor, for example, said it was okay for Planned Parenthood to stay open for abortions, but it wasn’t okay for the churches to have services,’ Gingrich said… ‘Well, that’s clearly just an ideological abuse of emergency.’”

Lacking American Leadership

The New York Times wrote on April 23:

“The pandemic sweeping the globe… is shaking fundamental assumptions about American exceptionalism — the special role the United States played for decades after World War II as the reach of its values and power made it a global leader and example to the world…

“As the calamity unfolds, President Trump and state governors are not only arguing over what to do, but also over who has the authority to do it… ‘America has not done badly, it has done exceptionally badly,’ said Dominique Moïsi, a political scientist and senior adviser at the Paris-based Institut Montaigne… In the United States, it has exposed two great weaknesses that, in the eyes of many Europeans, have compounded one another: the erratic leadership of Mr. Trump… and the absence of a robust public health care system and social safety net.

“… this is perhaps the first global crisis in more than a century where no one is even looking to the United States for leadership… ‘There is not only no global leadership, there is no national and no federal leadership in the United States,’ said Ricardo Hausmann, director of the Growth Lab at Harvard’s Center for International Development…

“The current crisis, some fear, could act like an accelerator of history, speeding up a decline in influence of… the United States… Mr. Garton Ash said that the United States should take an urgent warning from a long line of empires that rose and fell. ‘To a historian it’s nothing new, that’s what happens,’ said Mr. Garton Ash. ‘It’s a very familiar story in world history that after a certain amount of time a power declines.’”

Much nonsense is included in the article, especially when it comes to the ridiculous praise of Angela Merkel’s “leadership” and of the dictatorial measures taken in Germany to fight the coronavirus, but the sections quoted above about Europe’s perspective of America’s lacking leadership are worthwhile noticing.

Crazy—US Uses Chinese Drones to Spy on Americans

Daily Wire wrote on April 19:

“An MSNBC segment from late last week sparked controversy after it shined a light on a program that some localities across the U.S. are participating in that uses Chinese-made drones to monitor American citizens in an effort to enforce social distancing. ‘The drones make it easier for police to see into certain areas where access by patrol cars is more difficult,’ MSNBC reported. ‘That includes tight spaces between buildings, behind schools, and in backyards. Failure to comply could lead to a summons or a thousand dollar fine.’… ‘The drones donated by DJI, a Chinese company, have gone to 43 agencies in 22 states, all to help enforce social distancing rules,’ MSNBC continued…

“Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) responded to the segment by writing on Twitter: ‘Think about this for a second. This virus originated in Communist China and the Chinese Communist Party’s lies helped it spread around the world. Now we’re using drones made by a Chinese company and backed by the CCP to enforce social distancing. This is crazy!’”

Many concerns have been raised that these Chinese-made drones, which are now being used by US governments to spy on Americans, are at the same time being used by China to spy on America as well.

The Lockdown—a Big Mistake?

Ron Paul wrote on April 20 in “The Ron Paul Institute”:

“From California to New Jersey, Americans are protesting in the streets. They are demanding an end to house arrest orders given by government officials over a virus outbreak that even according to the latest US government numbers will claim fewer lives than the seasonal flu outbreak of 2017-2018.

“Across the US, millions of businesses have been shut down by ‘executive order’ and the unemployment rate has skyrocketed to levels not seen since the Great Depression. Americans, who have seen their real wages decline thanks to Federal Reserve monetary malpractice, are finding themselves thrust into poverty and standing in breadlines. It is like a horror movie, but it’s real.

“Last week the UN Secretary General warned that a global recession resulting from the worldwide coronavirus lockdown could cause ‘hundreds of thousands of additional child deaths per year.’ As of this writing, less than 170,000 have been reported to have died from the coronavirus worldwide.

“Many Americans have also died this past month because they were not able to get the medical care they needed. Cancer treatments have been indefinitely postponed. Life-saving surgeries have been put off to make room for coronavirus cases. Meanwhile hospitals are laying off thousands because the expected coronavirus cases have not come and the hospitals are partially empty…

“US states that did not arrest citizens for merely walking on the beach are not doing worse than those that did… Governments have no right or authority to tell us what business or other activity is ‘essential.’ Only in totalitarian states does the government claim this authority…”

Temporary Suspension of Some Green Card Applicants

NBC San Diego reported on April 21:

“President Donald Trump announced what he described as a ‘temporary suspension of immigration into the United States’ on Tuesday, an executive order barring those seeking permanent residency green cards but not temporary workers. Trump said he would be placing a 60-day pause on the issuance of green cards in an effort to limit competition for jobs in a U.S. economy wrecked by the coronavirus… An administration official familiar with the plans said the order would apply to foreigners seeking employment-based green cards and relatives of green card holders who are not citizens…

“Almost all visa processing by the State Department has been suspended for weeks. Travel to the U.S. has been restricted from much of the globe. And Trump has used the virus to effectively end asylum at U.S. borders, including turning away children who arrive by themselves and putting a hold on refugee resettlement…

“Trump first announced his intentions in a vague tweet Monday night. Across the country, those who could be impacted waited in suspense through the day. Chicago immigration attorney Fiona McEntee said she had been inundated with calls, emails and social media messages, including from company executives hoping to expand their business in the U.S., a person applying for a fiance visa and wondering about their wedding plans, artists seeking ‘extraordinary ability’ visas and foreign students. ‘It has created absolute panic,’ said McEntee. ‘These are people’s lives. … It is irresponsible and cruel to put out something like that without any consideration.’…”

Trump’s executive order expressly states that it does not apply, among others, to “any lawful permanent resident of the United States”; “any alien who is the spouse of a United States citizen”; or “any alien who is under 21 years old and is the child of a United States citizen.”

According to polls, about 79 percent want a full halt on immigration to the U.S. More than 80 percent of American adults call mass migration to the U.S. a “threat.”

The fear has been expressed that Trump and his anti-Immigration guru and right-wing hardliner Miller will use the “temporary” immigration “suspension” to make it permanent.

Fox News wrote on April 21: “Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Arizona, applauded the planned executive order, and suggested a total immigration suspension should continue indefinitely… ‘All immigration to the United States should halt until every American who wants a job has one!’”

Suspension of Green Card Applications Just a First Step?

Breitbart wrote on April 23:

“…the promise of Trump’s tweet was blocked amid furious closed-door lobbying by hugely wealthy Fortune 500 companies and elite investors. Their opposition was chiefly intended to stop the inflow of non-immigrant, white collar visa workers, including the roughly 900,000 H-1B workers who spike stock prices by shrinking salaries for U.S. professionals….

“That was a deep disappointment to many supporters… But Trump’s offer of a June re-match between voters and the Fortune 500 gives the public another chance to shift the nation’s economic policy towards employees, say reformers…

“Many polls show… the public strongly objects to companies hiring foreign workers before American  employees…

“But Trump’s zig-zagging between donors and voters is alienating many of those who stuck with him in 2016… ‘We knew it was best not to react to Trump’s initial claims about stopping immigration or any immigration matter because his past behavior has shown us there is an 80% chance that what he is telling us isn’t true,’ said William Gheen,  the founder of Americans for Legal Immigration PAC… ‘Trump has broken most of his key campaign promises … here once again he promises his audiences he will end all immigration for 60 days, but then guts the actual order to where it will have little impact for American workers.’”

In fact, suspending applications for permanent green card holders (most of them family-based) will have virtually NO impact on jobs for American workers. It is just a smokescreen to help Trump not to lose face completely, pacify (some) of his supporters and big companies and lobbyists, and to open the way for much severe  anti-immigration measures in the hope of wooing hard-core anti-immigrant voters as we are getting closer to the 2020 presidential election in November.  

US Travel Ban with Canada Extended

The Hill wrote on April 18:

“The U.S.-Canada border restrictions will be extended for another 30 days… The restrictions took effect on March 21, banning any nonessential travel between the two countries…

“When asked about potentially relaxing border restrictions with Canada on Wednesday, President Trump said, ‘…It will be one of the early borders to be released…’”

That does not sound good for a relaxation of the travel ban with other countries.

US Travel Ban with Mexico Extended

NPR wrote on April 20:

“The United States and Mexico are extending restrictions on nonessential travel across their shared border for an additional 30 days… The temporary closure was first put in place on March 21 and does not target the crossing of merchandise. People with temporary work visas, emergency personnel, students and those traveling for business are also still allowed to enter the U.S. However, the partial ban places stringent limits on tourism and shopping for people from California to Texas.”

No Lifting of German Travel Ban Any Time Soon

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 17:

“Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Friday that travel warnings aren’t going to be relaxed any time soon. ‘At the current point in time, I see absolutely no reason to lift the travel warnings,’ Maas told the mass-circulation Bild newspaper. He noted that even if Germany were to relax its measures, the curfews and other restrictions that other countries have put in place make it nearly impossible to go on holiday there.

“Germany issued a global travel warning in mid-March advising against non-essential travel abroad, particularly against travel for tourism purposes. The current warning has been extended to May 3, along with Germany’s nationwide social-distancing measures.

“The German government will reevaluate the situation from week to week and any loosening of restrictions would need to be coordinated on a European level, Maas noted. Mass warned that if people were to ignore travel warnings and try to continue with their summer vacation plans, the German government won’t fly them home from abroad this time…

“The German government launched a massive repatriation effort last month to fly home tourists who were stranded by the coronavirus outbreak. Although 240,000 people have been brought back so far, the government hasn’t been able to reach everyone just yet, Maas said. Over the next few weeks flights have been planned to bring German citizens back from South Africa, Peru, Argentina, and Pacific Island nations. Those who have since returned to Germany still likely face a bill from the government for the emergency flights.”

In an incredible article by Focus, dated April 18, titled, “Reason rather than naïve [plump] obedience… German calmness is success of democracy,” the author argues that the passive reaction of most Germans to the authoritarian measures by their government is a sign of a strong and successful democracy and can be explained by a trust in politics and acceptable arguments.

Der Spiegel took a completely different stance on April 17, writing: “Many Germans are growing impatient with the hesitant pace of efforts by the government to loosen the lockdown imposed to bring the number of coronavirus infections under control… And when will residents of Germany once again be able to exercise their constitutional rights, like going to church or attending a demonstration?”

So, who is right? Focus or Spiegel? Also, Bavaria announced that its Oktoberfest has been canceled for the first time since World War II. As Bloomberg reported on April 21, “The festival was called off twice in the past due to outbreaks of cholera, in 1854 and 1873.”

Change of Mind? Pope Warns Now Against Coronavirus Restrictions for Churches

Katholisch.de wrote on April 17 that Pope Francis warned against the consequences of a relationship with God without the church, stating that in internet services, people are together and not together.

He spoke of a danger when religious communication only occurs through the media and that one cannot just receive spiritual communion. “This is not the church,” he said.

The pope’s previous far-too-ready adherence to and even approval of the authoritarian restrictions of the governments, prohibiting church assemblies, is now backfiring, forcing him to eat his own words.

Der Spiegel wrote on April 17:

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel [conducted] a videoconference with the governors of Germany’s 16 states…

“North Rhine-Westphalia Governor Armin Laschet… clashed with other meeting participants primarily on the issue of religion. A Catholic by confession, Laschet joined Thuringia Governor Bodo Ramelow, a member of the far-left Left Party, in arguing that religious services should be permitted as long as certain measures were observed.

“Others noted that it is primarily the elderly – those who are most at risk in the coronavirus epidemic – who attend church services and that the kind of singing that takes place during church services increases the risk of transmission via exhaled particles

“The decisive argument was delivered by, of all people, [Bavarian Governor Markus] Söder… A Protestant himself, he is nonetheless head of a largely Catholic state. He pointed out that even the pope celebrated Easter mass completely on his own. Why should Germany do any different?”

Can one believe such utter nonsense as expressed by German governors (!), in regard to singing in church services? This is absolutely insane. But that happens when the pope wants to play coy and be cute. Now note the next article.

No Justification to Prohibit Religious Assemblies

Bild Online published the following commentary on April 16:

“To give up the constitutional right of free exercise of religion because of reasons of protection against the epidemic is difficult to swallow… Now stores will soon be open again, but religious services remain prohibited. With that, any semblance of proportionality has disappeared, with which we could justify such a grievous intrusion into our freedom.”

Bild has been taking a rather inconsistent approach throughout their “reporting”, reflecting the inconsistent approach of many Germans towards their government’s inconsistent handling of the coronavirus situation.  A constitutional scholar, Hans Michael Heinig, also stated that it would not be ok anymore to prohibit church assemblies in Germany, and Deutsche Welle reported on April 17 that in the German state of Saxony, church assemblies with up to 15 people plus the pastor will now be allowed. Deutsche Welle reported on April 21 that “Berlin is also set to allow church services of up to 50 people starting from May 4, according to the city’s culture minister.”

Germany’s Constitutional Court’s Incongruous Decisions

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 18:

“Germany’s Federal Constitutional Court rebuked Stuttgart city for just citing a local pandemic decree and saying ‘no’ on the phone to a person who planned to hold a 50-person demonstration on Saturday against the coronavirus-related lockdown measures in place… The government of Stuttgart, the state’s capital, argued that the decree [issued by Baden-Württemberg state] gave it no scope to even issue a legally contestable reply…

“The plaintiff approached Karlsruhe after losing a lower-court appeal before Baden-Württemberg’s top administrative court on Wednesday. The three-judge Karlsruhe panel in their ruling said the Stuttgart city administration in negotiations with the applicant could have agreed on a lower number of participants combined with physical spacing, location and demonstration timing. On Wednesday, Germany’s top court in similar fast-track provision rulings, had quashed two rejections of demonstrations in Giessen, a city in Hesse state, enabling them to proceed, but under strict safeguards.”

At the same time, as we reported earlier, the same court had found that the prohibition of RELIGIOUS assemblies and church services, even under strict safeguards, was justified. Who can understand those inconsistencies?

More German Confusion and Inconsistencies

AFP wrote on April 20:

“With small shops opening on Monday for the first time in a month, Merkel said the authorities can only allow such small cautious steps each time to avoid a devastating relapse… From florists to fashion stores, the majority of shops smaller than 800 square metres (8,600 square feet) were allowed to welcome customers again in much of Germany… But the government is facing increasing pressure from other sectors still facing curbs to move faster and let them get business back on track.

“… each of Germany’s 16 states is taking action at a slightly different pace. In eastern Saxony state, pupils taking final examinations began streaming back to classrooms, two weeks ahead of their peers in other states, where school gates will reopen only from May 4… Though not yet obligatory, the government ‘strongly advises’ wearing a mask in public. [Earlier, Merkel had strongly advised AGAINST wearing a mask in public. But now, almost all German states require the wearing of masks in public, but with inconsistent regulations.]

“… state premier of North Rhine-Westphalia Armin Laschet warned that some coronavirus restrictions could last until 2021.

“Cultural venues, bars, leisure centres and beauty salons will remain closed for the time being, and large-scale public events such as concerts and football matches have been banned until August 31. With larger shops unable to open, the German Trade Association warned Friday of a possible ‘distortion of competition’.”

Deutsche Welle added on April 20:

“Merkel has criticized excessive discussions about easing lockdown measures in Germany, warning that an ‘orgy’ of talks on when to reopen for business could jeopardize the progress made so far against the virus.”

The opposition party, the FDP, criticized Merkel sharply for her “choice of words” and her “grip of power” which she “does not have” (MSN, April 20, 2020).

Italian Insanity

Breitbart reported on April 20:

“Italian police used drones, quads, and a jeep to hunt down and fine a man thought to be spreading coronavirus by lying alone on an Italian beach.

“The City of Rimini posted a video of the police action against the sunbather on its website, boasting of the efficiency of local police in bringing the miscreant to justice.

“On Sunday, the Italian news service ANSA reported that photos of the police operation had gone viral, unleashing an unexpected avalanche of fury against the government for its ‘dictatorial’ methods, while others praised the lone bather for his exemplary ‘social distancing.’

“The Italian Interior Ministry reported Monday that 17,500 people were issued citations over the weekend for failing to comply with the…  coronavirus lockdown provisions… 8,641 were fined for traveling outside the home without sufficient justification, 74 for false declarations, and 9 for violated quarantine.”

Words fail in light of such governmental stupidity.

Extraordinary Damage for Global Economy

Money Week wrote on April 20:

“Covid-19 has wrought extraordinary damage on the global economy. Unemployment continues to soar to unprecedented levels. Companies continue to scramble for government support. We are unquestionably facing an economic slump larger than any we’ve ever experienced… Everything about this crisis has been off the charts in terms of historic comparisons…

“… there are signs that the market – in the US certainly – is… overvalued, just a month after hitting its coronavirus lows… The action taken by central banks now… will undermine our system yet further, and set up the conditions for a future blow-up…”

Killing Coronavirus with Disinfectants?

Zerohedge wrote on April 18:

“The Spanish government has just ‘authorized’ the military to prepare planes for aerial spraying of disinfectants across major metro areas

“The order was first published in the Boletín Oficial del Estado, the country’s official gazette, on Friday, that ‘authorizes the NBQ (Nuclear, Biological and Chemical) units of the Armed Forces and the UME to use biocides authorized by the Ministry of Health in disinfection efforts to deal with the health crisis caused by the coronavirus.’…

“The order continues to say ‘aerial disinfection’ missions will be conducted ‘regularly’ as long as the pandemic continues to ravage the country… Spain has deployed unmanned aerial systems and ground-based robots to spray disinfectants on the street level…[now] the government [wants] to blanket entire towns with disinfectants via airplanes…”

This is INSANE!

There Might NEVER Be a Vaccine… but It May Be Unnecessary

The Daily Star wrote on April 19:

“Professor Ian Frazer, one of the world’s leading vaccine inventors [said] that trying to immunise against coronavirus was like trying to immunise against the common cold – difficult to impossible… ‘Coronavirus doesn’t get into you, it stays on the surface cells in your lungs,’ he added. ‘All these flu viruses get into you, so the body can fight and makes T cells. ‘This virus doesn’t kill the cells, it makes them sick. At the moment we don’t know how to make a coronavirus vaccine work. That’s why there are 100 vaccines under testing using every conceivable approach. We don’t know if any of them will work.’

“On a more positive note, Prof Frazer pointed out that a vaccine was never developed for SARS following an outbreak in China in 2003, but it burnt out on its own. The virus became less effective as it passed from host to host, explained Prof Frazer – something that could feasibly happen with Covid-19 too. He added: ‘It may well be the same with this virus. It’s not very effective in making us sick. It may become less effective.’”

Vaccines a Longshot with no Success Guaranteed

Breitbart wrote on April 20:

“The government’s chief scientific advisor [Sir Patrick Vallance] admitted that vaccines for new viruses are ‘long shots’ and that ‘only some end up being successful’…

“Oxford University scientist Sarah Gilbert … raised other complications in the rollout and manufacturing of a vaccine, including that the injection may alter a person’s immune system, making contracting the Chinese virus more dangerous…”

And still, due to the panic and lucrative prospects of a vaccine for the pharmaceutical industry and its supporters and investors, we predict some kind of a vaccine will be produced and rushed through, while it will be claimed that it is safe so that it can be made mandatory for the entire globe.

Ongoing Isolation for Athletes and the Elderly without Vaccine

The Daily Mail wrote on April 20:

“World No 1 Novak Djokovic’s opposition to vaccines could stand in the way of his return to tennis when eventually it resumes following the coronavirus pandemic. A push is growing for all players to be vaccinated when tennis starts again, provided one is produced by then…

“Professor Gilbert said her team hopes to begin clinical trials towards the end of this week… The 510 or so healthy volunteers, between 18 and 55, are currently being recruited and having health checks. Half of all the trial volunteers will get the new coronavirus vaccine and the other half will get a vaccine licensed to protect against meningitis. Volunteers will not know what they are given…

“Scientists have asked people not to pin their hopes on a vaccine. However, it’s believed that vaccines are the only way for high-risk people, such as the elderly, will be able to mingle in society in the future. Over-70s may potentially have to wait for a vaccine before going back to normal life, according to lockdown exit plans reported by the Sunday Times yesterday.”

Twelve More Months of Lockdown in Australia?

The Sun wrote on April 17:

“AUSTRALIA is thinking of extending its lockdown to a YEAR  – despite suffering just 63 coronavirus deaths. Prime Minister Scott Morrison warned life ‘down under’ could be constrained for 12 more months… And some see the proposal as a sign other countries may also be thinking of very lengthy lockdowns…

“Restaurants, bars and other ‘non-essential’ businesses have closed [in Australia] and public gatherings of more than two people are banned under the threat of fines and even prison… Ministers in Australia have already refused to rule out keeping travel restrictions in place until 2021- meaning a ban on tourism. Citizens are being advised to plan vacations in their own country when the crisis is over…”

Man Reaps what He Sows

Express wrote on April 22:

“CHINA is facing pressure for answers as the world fights the coronavirus pandemic – and science highlighting that the outbreak started via bat-to-human transmission suggests that warnings in the Bible on the consumption of ‘unclean’ meat have been ignored with fatal consequences for humanity…

“Scientists say that coronavirus is highly likely to have come from bats to humans via pangolins. This is believed to have started in China’s Hubei province and its capital, Wuhan, where the sale of bats and pangolins for human consumption is widespread and profitable. The Book of Leviticus… does warn against people eating them.

“Chapter 11 offers instructions on how to remain clean by abstaining from the consumption of certain animals. It reads: ‘These you shall detest among the birds, they shall not be eaten – the eagle, the bearded vulture, the black vulture, the kite, the falcon of any kind, every raven of any kind, the ostrich, the nighthawk, the seagull, the hawk of any kind, the little owl, the cormorant, the short-eared owl, the barn owl, the tawny owl, the carrion vulture, the stork, the heron of any kind, the hoopoe, and the bat…’

“Though bats are now considered mammals, until the Middle ages, organisms were classified into three categories, those that walked on land, those that flew through the air and those that lived in water. By this method, bats are grouped into the same category as birds.

“The passage goes on to warn that anyone who does not follow these rules will remain ‘unclean’ until they repent. Some online users have linked this extract with coronavirus… referencing Leviticus 26:14-18, which reads: ‘If you won’t listen or obey my commands and reject them and violate my covenant, then I will bring on you sudden terror, wasting diseases and fever that will destroy your sight and sap your strength. If you still disobey Me, I will punish you sevenfold.’

“One Twitter user commented: ‘If China keeps eating unclean food, God will punish you sevenfold.’ Another added: ‘Leviticus reveals the punishment for disobedience.’”

Interesting thoughts. In Leviticus, God’s punishment is mainly directed to the modern houses of Israel and Judah, and it is of course not limited to eating unclean meat (even though this is included), but God calls this practice an “abomination” and He does pronounce serious punishment on ALL who do so in the book of Isaiah (65:3-5; 66:15-17).

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.

This Week in the News

Trump vs. State Governors

The Associated Press wrote on April 13:

“President Donald Trump claimed the ‘total’ authority Monday to decide how and when to reopen the economy after weeks of tough social distancing guidelines aimed at fighting the new coronavirus. But governors from both parties were quick to push back, noting they have the primary constitutional responsibility for ensuring public safety in their states and would decide when it’s safe to begin a return to normal operations… ‘When somebody is president of the United States, the authority is total,’ Trump said at Monday’s White House coronavirus briefing. ‘The governors know that.’

“But he would not offer specifics about the source of that claim, which governors asserted was a vast power grab… The president’s guidelines have little force. Governors and local leaders have issued orders that carry fines or other penalties, and in some jurisdictions extend into the early summer. ‘We’re going to write up papers on this,’ Trump said, brushing aside questions about his claim of absolute authority to order states to reopen, adding, ‘The governors need us one way or the other.’

“Vice President Mike Pence backed up Trump’s claim, also without offering specific grounding, saying that at times of emergency, the powers of president are ‘unquestionably plenary.’…

“Trump’s claim that he could force governors to reopen their states represents a dramatic shift in tone… Trump can use his daily White House briefings and Twitter account to try to shape public opinion and pressure governors to bend to his will…”

Apart from the devastating effects on the American economy, Trump also realizes that public resistance against the authoritarian measures is growing. However, he subsequently reversed to a large extent his public position on the President’s authority. This does not have to mean that he changed his mind on the issue. 

Also, on April 16, new federal guidelines were announced which seem to change little regarding the present status quo, even though they were summarized by the President as “opening up” the country. The same can be said about new guidelines and regulations which were announced in Europe this week.  

Resistance to House Arrest Orders

The Ron Paul Institute published an article on April 7 with the following headline:

“Resistance Building to Coronavirus ‘House Arrest’ Orders… It’s About Time!”

The article continued:

“Across the country, from political leaders, to small business owners, to parents who just want to take their children to the park, resistance is growing to the authoritarians who have effectively suspended the Constitution and placed most of the country under house arrest. Lawsuits are also challenging unlawful ‘stay at home’ orders. What if all the hysteria-driven orders have actually made the virus outbreak even worse?…”

Huge Demonstration against Stay-At-Home Order in Michigan

 The New York Post wrote on April 15:

“Thousands of protesters on foot and in vehicles converged Wednesday on Michigan’s capital to rally against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s stay-at-home orders in the state. ‘Operation Gridlock’… created a huge bumper-to-bumper traffic jam around the Michigan Capitol Building in Lansing…

“Meshawn Maddock, an organizer for the group, said the demonstrators include Republicans, Democrats and independents. ‘Quarantine is when you restrict movement of sick people. Tyranny is when you restrict the movement of healthy people,’ Maddock told Fox News. ‘Every person has learned a harsh lesson about social distancing. We don’t need a nanny state to tell people how to be careful.’”

“Draconian” Coronavirus Lockdown Measures and Our Civil Rights

The Washington Examiner wrote on April 9:

“Attorney General William Barr said the United States would be wise to make sure measures taken to stem the spread of the coronavirus do not unnecessarily infringe on the civil rights of U.S. citizens… ‘I think we have to be very careful to make sure … that the draconian measures that are being adopted are fully justified, and there are not alternative ways of protecting people,’ he added… ‘I’m very concerned about the slippery slope in terms of continuing encroachments on personal liberty,’ Barr said…”

To Regain Religious Freedom?

The Guardian wrote on April 5:

“In executive orders issued in quick succession this week, [Florida’s governor] DeSantis designated religious services as ‘essential activities’

“Greg Abbott, the governor of Texas… this week signed his own executive order designating religious services as ‘essential’ and leaving houses of worship to make their own decisions…

“The homepage for executive orders signed by the Michigan governor, Gretchen Whitmer, includes the words: ‘A place of religious worship is not subject to penalty.’…

New Mexico banned gatherings of more than five people anywhere, with ‘churches, synagogues, mosques and other places of worship’ among the exceptionsWest Virginia’s order, meanwhile, adds specific wording to assure citizens that travel to and from a place of worship would also not be considered a violation…”

Other states, mainly run by liberal Democratic left-wing governors such as in California, did not exempt churches.

Now Witch-Hunt against Churches

The Guardian wrote on April 3:

“A California megachurch has found itself at the center of a coronavirus outbreak after public health officials connected it to 71 cases… The church is reported to be the largest Slavic congregation in the US, with 3,500 members and a total attendance at some services of up to 10,000…

“Places of worship across the county have in recent weeks found themselves in the spotlight after resisting or being slow to enforce social distancing norms. Hugs, handshakes, or passing a common donation basket can easily pass the virus from one person to the next…

“‘While we know that the church as a whole has ceased to meet and the leadership is hosting online services, we have been told by multiple sources that there are groups that continue to meet in homes, despite the public health order to not gather with anyone outside of household members…’ the health department said.”

Christian Churches Become Scapegoat

Prophecy News Watch wrote on April 4:

“A national tragedy occurs, and Christians get scapegoated. The ancient pagans of Rome, as their society fell apart, blamed Christians… Watch for the focus on churches to continue to get increased scrutiny in the press.

“New York City… Mayor Bill de Blasio has already warned pastors to shut down their houses of worship – or else.  The mayor said the police department, fire department and building inspectors ‘will force congregations to disperse if they are found holding worship services… Any congregation that refuses to comply with the mayor’s order, could face fines or have their buildings permanently closed.

“… As emotions begin to run high, don’t be surprised [about] spread [of] the mindset that if you need someone to blame other than the politicians, those Bible believing Christians are next in line…

“The New York times ran a disturbing piece last week with the title: ‘The Road to Coronavirus Hell Was Paved by Evangelicals’…”

Obviously, Satan is behind those attacks on religious freedom.

Gross Abuse of Power

 The Huffington Post wrote on April 15:

“Pastors from three California churches are suing Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) and several local officials for restricting religious gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic ― arguing that their congregations can worship in person and practice social distancing at the same time. In a federal lawsuit filed in the Central District of California on Monday, the evangelical Christian plaintiffs insist it’s unconstitutional for the state to allow some businesses to stay open ― such as grocery stores, restaurants, and laundromats ― while houses of worship are forced to close, even if they agree to abide by the government’s guidelines for social distancing.

“‘If a Californian is able to go to Costco or the local marijuana shop or liquor store and buy goods in a responsible, socially distanced manner, then he or she must be allowed to practice their faith using the same precautions,’ Harmeet Dhillon, former vice chairwoman of the California Republican Party and a lawyer representing the plaintiffs, told The Associated Press…

“The lawsuit claims Newsom’s stay-at-home order from, March 19 and similar measures by Riverside and San Bernardino local officials, are a ‘gross abuse’ of power that takes advantage of the pandemic to expand government authority ‘by unprecedented lengths.’ Newsom’s order deems as essential ‘faith-based services that are provided through streaming or other technology,’ but in-person services are not listed. 

“James Dean Moffatt, senior pastor of Church Unlimited in Indio, California,… believes it is important for Christians to ‘come together, remember, and celebrate all that Jesus has done for this world,’ the lawsuit states. The pastor also believes the Bible commands him to baptize people and pray for the sick by laying his hands on them ― two acts that can’t be done online…” 

Unqualified Pastors?

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on April 14:

“Here is a recent tweet of [a pastor]: ‘As Americans, our Man-given freedom of speech seems to have overridden our God-commanded fear of authority. We need to repent of this, as complaining against & defying God-given authority is sin (unless they tell us to do something sinful). To be clear, not uncomfortable. Sinful.’

“Freedom of speech is God-given, not man-given. The First Amendment doesn’t say that Congress grants to Americans the freedom of speech. Rather, it prohibits Congress from abridging the freedom of speech… The First Amendment restricts government from prohibiting the free exercise of religion. One of the foundations of the Christian religion is worshiping God… in churches. Is not the government prohibiting the free exercise of religion when it tells churches they have to close or limit their gatherings to ten or fewer people?…

“The First Amendment also protects from government interference the right of the people peaceably to assemble. Does this not include the right of Christians to assemble in their churches?… Christians are commanded to not forsake the assembling of themselves together (Hebrews 10:25)… The coronavirus panic and insanity that has gripped the United States is all based on government distortions and lies. Just a little reading beyond the mainstream media makes this perfectly clear… It is pastors like the one who made the ridiculous tweet that Christians should socially distance themselves from. He will be among the first to support the next government lie or government war—in the name of ‘safety’ or ‘national security’ of course.”

Not Deserving Liberty?

Breitbart wrote on April 14:

“Benjamin Franklin once said, ‘Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.’ Today, we are seeing the very thing Franklin warned against in real-time…

“The problem today isn’t just the virus. The problem is overreaching governments that have abused power in a moment of opportunism across several local jurisdictions in this country.

“This week we have witnessed several first-hand accounts of religious discrimination, and the selective targeting of worship gatherings and religious assemblies, ostensibly for reasons of public health and safety.  

“In Greenville, Mississippi, Mayor Errick Simmons, a Democrat, along with the city council, banned churches from hosting drive-thru services. Police in Greenville also issued $500 fines to congregants of Temple Baptist Church, who were sitting in their parked cars during a Wednesday night service. This was while they were clearly abiding by CDC guidelines for safe, social distancing.

“In Kentucky, Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat, instructed state police to take down license plate numbers of attendees at drive-thru services and have the state health department issue a mandatory 14-day quarantine.  That order affected members of Maryville Baptist Church. 

“Similarly, in Louisville, Mayor Greg Fischer, a Democrat, called on churches to forgo Easter drive-thru services to slow the spread of the virus. For anyone paying attention, there is no mistaking the overt pattern of enforcement against religious groups by Democratic officials…

“Thankfully, Pastor Chuck Salvo of On Fire Christian Church filed a lawsuit and temporary injunction against the Louisville mayor in U.S. District Court.  Judge Justin Walker, a Trump appointee, granted the injunction and further rebuked Mayor Fischer for criminalizing religious liberty…

Churchgoers are not being protected — they are being penalized… when civil authorities go beyond safety guidelines and overreach, Christians should be ready for a fight by whatever legal means necessary… Upholding and defending religious liberty is the most patriotic and neighborly thing we can do.”

America’s Fascination with “Essential” Guns…

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 3:

“According to a memorandum issued by the federal Department of Homeland Security, the import, manufacture and sale of weapons are part of the US’s essential infrastructure… Weapons and ammunition are also in high demand… In February, the FBI ran more than 2.8 million background checks…”

Selling guns is essential. Selling recreational marijuana is essential. In some areas, the Easter bunny, abortions and assisted suicide are essential (see article below). But conducting church services is not…?

ABORTION “Essential” and Must Go On

Breaking Israel News wrote on April 7:

“The WHO released a policy statement on Saturday stating that they will continue to prioritize abortion, diverting medical assets towards what they labelled ‘reproductive health.’ ‘Women’s choices and rights to sexual and reproductive health care should be respected, irrespective of whether or not she has a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection,’ WHO said in the statement…

“Rabbi Yosef Berger, the rabbi of King David’s Tomb on Mount Zion, noted that… ‘This love of abortions is a replay of Pharaoh throwing babies into the [River] Nile… the situation today is twice as bad as it was in Egypt. Pharaoh only killed the male babies.’

“Rabbi Hillel Weiss, the spokesman for the nascent Sanhedrin, reacted strongly to the pro-abortion by the WHO… ‘These values they call human rights have only one possible outcome: the destruction of humanity.’”

America Will Never Be the Same Again

WND published the following commentary by Pat Buchanan on April 2:

“What a difference a month can make… What March 2020 produced and what it appears to portend is a sea change in U.S. history… If March shocked this nation… what is coming may be even more sobering.  Are millions of unemployed workers without the cash to pay for or to find medicine and groceries likely to stay indoors for weeks or months?

“All those criminals being given early release from virus-infested jails and prisons without the means to provide for themselves and their families, how will they react to weeks of mandatory sheltering in place? … Will the system gradually break down just as the second wave of the virus in the fall appears?”

National Quarantine Is National Suicide

Newsweek wrote on April 3:

“On his Fox News program Friday, host Tucker Carlson said infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci had been wrong about the current coronavirus pandemic in the U.S. ‘repeatedly’ and that his call for all states to issue stay-at-home orders would amount to ‘national suicide.’… ‘More than 10 million Americans have already lost their jobs,’ Carlson said. ‘Imagine another year of this. That would be national suicide, and yet, that is what Anthony Fauci is suggesting, at least.’

“Carlson suggested Fauci was not looking at the economic ramifications of the coronavirus response because Fauci has ‘bulletproof job security.’ High U.S. unemployment rates, according to Carlson, are ‘a far bigger disaster than the virus itself by any measure.’ ‘Our response to coronavirus could turn this into a far poorer nation,’ Carlson said. ‘Poor countries are unhealthy countries, always and everywhere. In poor countries, people die of treatable diseases. In poor countries, people are far more vulnerable to obscure viruses, like the one we are fighting now. You want to keep Americans from dying before their time? Then don’t impoverish them.’”

See the interesting article below about Dr. Fauci’s economic interest.

It Was SO Predictable—“Anthony Fauci Sets Stage for Mandatory — Lucrative! – Vaccine”

On April 8, The Washington Times published the following “analysis/opinion” by Cheryl K. Chumley:

“Anthony Fauci, America’s most-listened-to medical professional on the coronavirus… has just warned what cooler-head coronavirus watchers have suspected all along: that this country may never, no never, go back to normal. Never, that is, Fauci suggested, until a vaccine is developed. And by logical extension, that’s to say — never, until a vaccine is developed that must then be included on the required list of shots for all children to attend school

“What great news for Bill Gates who just announced his foundation is going to spend billions of dollars to help build factories for seven possible coronavirus vaccine makers. ‘Spend’ is probably the wrong word here. Invest is more like it…

“… deaths due to the coronavirus are wildly open to interpretation, wildly speculative, wildly unscientific… What do doctors consider a coronavirus death? In the United Kingdom, health officials give daily counts of deaths of those who tested positive for the coronavirus, but who might have actually died from other medical conditions. In the United States, doctor discretion reigns

“‘The World Health Organization, UNICEF, the National institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have announced a collaboration to increase coordination across the international vaccine community and create a Global Vaccine Action Plan,’ the Gates Foundation reported in a press release. ‘The collaboration follows the January 2010 call by Bill and Melinda Gates for the next ten years to be the Decade of Vaccines.’

The ‘Decade of Vaccines?’ It’s a structured campaign. It includes a Leadership Council, a Steering Committee, an International Advisory Committee — and [more]. But here’s an interesting link. The Leadership Council ‘is comprised of … Dr. Anthony S. Fauci,’ the Gates Foundation reported. Fauci, the same guy who just set the stage for the dire need for a protective coronavirus vaccine, has a vested interest in seeing this vaccine… come to widely administered fruition…

“… for certain… insider folk, vaccines are… great economic and political investments. Especially when they come as saving grace solutions to wildly spread fears — especially when they come as required, mandated protections for global populations.”

Sebastian Kurz (33)—Austria’s very young and somewhat radical Chancellor—has announced that “unless we will have a vaccine or other successful medicines, there won’t be any freedom to travel, as we know it” (Bild Online, April 7, 2020). In spite of or maybe because of his extreme measures, Austrians love and approve of him… and so do most Germans who have, sadly, always been receptive to extreme conduct in a time of crisis. When the prophesied “beast” arrives—a political, economic and military leader of German or Austrian descent—most Germans and Austrians will greet, support and even worship him. In fact, the whole world will… at first.

Bill Gates’ Terrible History with Vaccines

Robert Kennedy Jr. is an American environmental attorney, author, and opponent of vaccination. Kennedy is a son of Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of former president John F. Kennedy. He wrote the following in “Children’s Health Defense” on April 9:

“Vaccines, for Bill Gates, are a strategic philanthropy that feed his many vaccine-related businesses… and give him dictatorial control of global health policy. Gates’ obsession with vaccines seems to be fueled by a conviction to save the world with technology… Gates took control of India’s National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) which mandated… polio vaccines… to children before the age of five. Indian doctors blame the Gates campaign for a devastating… epidemic that paralyzed 490,000 children beyond expected rates between 2000 and 2017. In 2017, the Indian government dialed back Gates’ vaccine regimen and asked Gates and his vaccine policies to leave India…

“In 2017, the World Health Organization (WHO) reluctantly admitted that the global explosion in polio is predominantly vaccine strain. The most frightening epidemics in Congo, Afghanistan and the Philippines are all linked to vaccines. In fact, by 2018, 70% of global polio cases were vaccine strain.

“In 2014, the Gates Foundation funded tests of experimental HPV vaccines, developed by Glaxo Smith Kline (GSK) and Merck, on  23,000 young girls in remote Indian provinces. Approximately 1,200 suffered severe side effects, including autoimmune and fertility disorders. Seven died. Indian government investigations charged that Gates-funded researchers committed… pressuring vulnerable village girls into the trial, bullying parents, forging consent forms, and refusing medical care to the injured girls. The case is now in the country’s Supreme Court.

“In 2010, the Gates Foundation funded a phase 3 trial of GSK’s experimental malaria vaccine, killing 151 African infants and causing serious adverse effects including paralysis, seizure, and febrile convulsions to 1,048 of the 5,949 children.

“During Gates’ 2002 MenAfriVac campaign in Sub-Saharan Africa, Gates’ operatives forcibly vaccinated thousands of African children against meningitis. Approximately  50 of the 500 children vaccinated developed paralysis… Nelson Mandela’s former Senior Economist, Professor Patrick Bond, describes Gates’ philanthropic practices as ‘ruthless and immoral.’

“In 2010, Gates committed $10 billion to the WHO saying, ‘We must make this the decade of vaccines.’ A month later, Gates said… that new vaccines ‘could reduce population’. In 2014, Kenya’s Catholic Doctors Association accused the WHO of chemically sterilizing millions of unwilling Kenyan women with a ‘tetanus vaccine campaign’. Independent labs found a sterility formula in every vaccine tested. After denying the charges, WHO finally admitted it had been developing the sterility vaccines for over a decade.  Similar accusations came from Tanzania, Nicaragua, Mexico and the Philippines.

“A 2017 study… showed that WHO’s popular DTP vaccine is killing more African children than the diseases it prevents. DTP-vaccinated girls suffered 10x the death rate of children who had not yet received the vaccine. WHO has refused to recall the lethal vaccine which it forces upon tens of millions of African children annually…

“In addition to using his philanthropy to control WHO, UNICEF, GAVI, and PATH, Gates funds a private pharmaceutical company that manufactures vaccines, and additionally is donating $50 million to 12 pharmaceutical companies to speed up development of a coronavirus vaccine. In his recent media appearances Gates appears confident that the Covid-19 crisis will now give him the opportunity to force his dictatorial vaccine programs on American children.”

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 12:

“Microsoft founder Bill Gates has called on industrialized countries to invest billions in the development and distribution of a coronavirus vaccine. In an opinion piece for Germany’s Welt am Sonntag newspaper, the US billionaire said the race was on to find a vaccine to help curb the pandemic, predicting that researchers are aiming for ‘at least one of them to be ready for use in 18 months.’”

Gates also said that the flu vaccine “isn’t that effective” in older people so vaccines for COVID-19 will have to be different… The eight months hypostasis matches the “warnings” as expressed in the next article:

USA to Be Prepared for 18 Months of Shutdown?

Morning Watch wrote on April 12:

“Neel Kashkari, the head of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis,… while acknowledging the downside of what a prolonged shutdown could mean for the economy, said the U.S., ‘barring some health-care miracle,’ is looking at an 18-month strategy of rolling shutdowns…”

It seems the mighty and rich are “strategizing” with each other…

Beware of Coronavirus Vaccine

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on April 14:

“Ron Paul… warns that people ‘should be leery about’ coronavirus vaccines that may come out. Further, says Paul, a doctor and former United States House of Representatives member… [stressed] the potential danger of a vaccine as well as the overstated threat from coronavirus… Paul describes the results of the push for people to take the swine flu vaccine [in 1976] as follows:

“‘They rushed the vaccine through. The vaccine was not properly made. It had nothing to do with the virus that was out there, so it saved nobody’s life from it. It caused a lot of harm. More people ended up dying from the inoculation than died from the flu that year… that’s about what happens when governments get involved and you do things for political reasons…’

“Paul notes that many of the people whose deaths have been blamed on coronavirus are elderly people, including people living in nursing homes, who have multiple other diseases. Further, explains Paul, doctors have ‘been instructed by [the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] and other politicians that, when the doctors sign the death certificate, if [patients] have four different things but they happen to have a positive test for the virus that is to be put down as the major cause of death.’ ‘The numbers mean nothing,’ concludes Paul regarding the daily tabulation of coronavirus deaths… With ‘probably millions of people’ having contracted coronavirus, Paul concludes that the percentage of people who have contracted coronavirus and have died as a result ‘is probably very, very small.’”

Mandatory Coronavirus Vaccine?

Lew Rockwell wrote on April 15:

“If and when the COVID vaccine arrives…, certificates would be used to signify immunity for all those who take the shot. It would function as a license [to] circulate and travel and enter schools

“[This] is a set-up for the vaccine, and for mandatory vaccines [with a] special exemption from liability recently issued by the US Dept. of Health and Human Services. Basically, anyone associated with pharmaceutical strategies undertaken ‘against the coronavirus’ cannot be sued, regardless of ‘adverse effects’ of medicines or vaccines…”

Trump Suspends US Funding for WHO and Is Globally Condemned

Times of Israel wrote on April 15:

“The European Union’s top foreign policy representative on Wednesday denounced President Donald Trump’s decision to suspend US funding for the World Health Organization… Trump’s latest decision reflects his belief that the WHO has been biased towards China, colluding to prevent the US’ main economic rival from having to be open about the unfolding health crisis… The US is the biggest funder of the WHO, providing it $400 million last year…

Germany slammed the US decision as Foreign Minister Heiko Maas [said:] ‘One of the best investments is to strengthen the UN, above all the under-financed WHO… in the development and distribution of tests and vaccines.’…

“Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates… said Trump’s decision is ‘as dangerous as it sounds.’”

Gates stands much to lose financially if a vaccine were not to be developed.

Open Up Soon

The Associated Press wrote on April 8:

“Conservative voices… are pushing for an economic and social restart, urging Trump to overrule health officials. ‘At some point, the president is going to have to look at Drs. Fauci and Birx and say, we’re opening on May 1,’ Fox commentator Laura Ingraham tweeted. ‘Give me your best guidance on protocols, but we cannot deny our people their basic freedoms any longer.’”

The Daily Mail wrote on April 10:

“Ron Paul called on President Donald Trump’s administration Thursday to fire Dr. Anthony Fauci… after he lowered the nation’s death estimates for the coronavirus. The former Texas Republican representative accused Fauci of providing ‘bad information’ when he said Thursday that he expects about 60,000 people will die from the outbreak, down from 100,000 to 200,000, but only if social distancing continues and effectively slows the spread of the disease.

“Paul, speaking on his program, ‘Ron Paul Liberty Report,’ unleashed his criticism on Fauci, saying he was using the virus as an excuse to get ‘total control’ of the American people…Paul, 84, who has run three presidential campaigns since 1988, is also a physician…”

Paul also stated that people might die in a car accident, and doctors will say that they died of the coronavirus.

Economic Disaster and Riots

The Sun wrote on April 4:

“… the world is falling to pieces… Experts say that coronavirus will bankrupt far more people than it kills. Already we are seeing footage from Italy of desperate families with no food and no money trying to kick their way through a supermarket’s windows… When farmers can’t pick food because they don’t have the workforce and nobody could afford it even if they did, we are going to have riots.

“Governments have already promised trillions in aid. But it’s trillions they do not have. They will have to borrow the money, and to pay it back, they are going to have to tax the few of us left in work… As each day passes, the situation is getting worse until eventually, someone is going to have to admit that Donald Trump had a point when he said that ‘the cure cannot be worse than the problem’… You can cure an ingrowing toenail by removing the leg. But it’s not sensible…”

Surge in Domestic Violence

npr wrote on April 6:

“United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres [cited] a sharp rise in domestic violence amid global coronavirus lockdowns.

“… Domestic violence rates have surged in France and South Africa… Lebanon and Malaysia have seen the number of calls to help lines double… In China, the number of calls has tripled… In Australia… Google reports a 75% increase in online searches for help with domestic violence. Meanwhile, in Turkey… the killing of women has risen sharply since a stay-at-home order was issued on March 11.”

There has also been a huge surge in suicide cases. Also, the following was found on the Internet: “Weird dreams. If fear and dread have invaded your dreams, you’re not alone. Plenty of people are having vivid dreams with images such as tidal waves, lethal injections and masses of thin white worms.”

The Trillion Dollar Coins

Fortune wrote on March 25:

“How does America pay for a $2 trillion coronavirus relief bill? With two shiny coins… The minting of such mammoth mammon isn’t just a thought experiment—it’s an actual draft bill being floated in Congress…

“Under the plan, the Treasury would mint the two $1 trillion coins, then deposit them at the Federal Reserve. Forced by law to recognize the coins as legal tender, the Fed would add $2 trillion to the Treasury’s account…”

Forbes wrote already 7 years ago, on January 19, 2013:

“No doubt, you’ve heard about the latest irresponsible fiscal/monetary proposal to be floated by members of Congress… It entails having the Treasury avoid the federal debt limit by handing the Federal Reserve a single $1 trillion platinum coin.  The Fed would then credit the Treasury’s bank account with $1 trillion, which the Fed could spend on… anything it wants.

“Is there anything special about platinum? Well, yes. The coin doesn’t have to contain $1 trillion worth of platinum.  It can be microscopic for all the Fed cares as long as they can use a electron microscope to read the $1 trillion In God We Trust inscription.   But it has to be made out of platinum.  No other metal or substance… will do.  The reason is that the Treasury has the right, by an obscure law, to mint platinum coins, but only platinum coins…”

The Death of Cash… Banks Would Love It

Money Morning wrote on April 3:

“There is much talk about how Covid-19 will change the world. There is less about how it is simply accelerating trends that were already underway… One to keep a particular eye on is a theme we have been watching for some time – the death of cash… ‘card only’ signs are appearing everywhere…

“Back in 2015, Andy Haldane, chief economist at the Bank of England, made a speech in which he explained [that it would] be much easier if we weren’t allowed [cash]; that way, the Bank could have significantly more control over how and when we spent our money.”

FDIC Scared of a Bank Run?

Cyrptopotato wrote on April 5:

“The FDIC is the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. It was created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Great Depression to insure any money deposited at U.S. depository institutions. As a result, all U.S. checking accounts are insured (up to $150,000) by Uncle Sam. The official Twitter account for the FDIC tweeted this message Tuesday: ‘Forget the mattress! Keeping large sums of cash at home is risky. The best place to protect your money is in an FDIC-insured bank where it’s safe and sound.’

“So if the authorities are actually this concerned that Americans will literally start hoarding cash under the mattress like in the Great Depression, then is it okay for the rest of us to go ahead and panic? Because hearing the FDIC Chair say this makes me want to drive straight to my bank to withdraw. And pull out everything that isn’t auto-paying next month’s bills…

“I am worried about the world right now, but I wasn’t afraid of money not being in the bank until the insurer of bank deposits had to go on air and assure us our money’s fine. Now I’m afraid

“The U.S. banking system prints ‘In God We Trust’ on the money, but the way the financial system acts they don’t seem to be very God-fearing. All this unsinkable ship talk of the Titanic didn’t work out so well… don’t be so certain [the U.S. financial system is] collapse proof. Especially not the way they’re riding it lately…”

Wearing Masks… Yes, No or Indifferent?

The Associated Press wrote on April 3:

“President Donald Trump announced new federal guidelines Friday recommending that Americans wear face coverings when in public to help fight the spread of the new coronavirus. The president immediately said he had no intention of following the advice himself, saying, ‘I’m choosing not to do it.’… stressing the recommendations did not amount to requirements…

Surgeon General Jerome Adams wrote on Twitter at the end of February that people should ‘STOP BUYING MASKS’ and said they were not effective in protecting the general public. On Monday, he noted that the World Health Organization does not recommend masks for healthy members of the population. Three days later, he tweeted that though there remains ‘scant’ evidence that wearing a mask… can protect the wearer, ‘emerging data suggests facial coverings may prevent asymptomatic disease transmission to others.’”

Politics Home wrote on April 3:

“Deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van Tam… said: ‘I was on the phone this morning to a colleague in Hong Kong whose done the evidence review for the World Health Organisation on face masks. We are of the same mind that there is no evidence that the general wearing of face masks by the public who are well affects the spread of the disease in our society… In terms of the hard evidence, we do not recommend face masks for general wearing for the public.’”

Again, our medical experts seem to know next to nothing.

It’s Getting Crazier and Crazier

npr wrote on April 4:

“Dr. Deborah Birx said]… ‘The next two weeks are extraordinarily important… ‘This is the moment to not be going to the grocery store, not going to the pharmacy…’”

Subsequently, on April 6, Birx somewhat modified her prior statement, adding however that her grandchild became sick with a high fever and that she, even though a doctor, would not visit him and treat him, due to the restrictions. President Trump seemed surprised and puzzled by her public statement [Trump, in his seventies, has a minor son.] Dr. Birx’s position is very difficult to understand by a parent or a grandparent.

Big Brother in the USA and Elsewhere

CNN wrote on April 4:

“[Trump] wants to use Americans’ smartphone location data to help track and combat the spread of coronavirus. Now, a pair of US data companies are making a public pitch to show just how that kind of technology might work.

“X-Mode and Tectonix focused on a high-profile case: tracking location data from the phones of people who visited the beach in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in March — among them spring breakers who made national news two weeks ago when they ignored warnings to practice social distancing… The results of tracking data… showed where people went after they visited the beach…

“Across the globe governments are weighing the need to contain the virus against citizens’ privacy… Israel last month deployed spy technology to track coronavirus patients and the people they may have come in contact with. And authorities in Moscow are using the city’s vast system of 170,000 surveillance camera with facial recognition technology to catch and fine people violating quarantine and self-isolation rules.

“Facebook and Google confirmed… that they were exploring ways to use… location data [as] part of a series of interactions between the White House and the tech industry…”

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 7:

“Germany is developing a smartphone app that warns people if they’re close to someone who’s tested positive for COVID-19. Similar apps are widespread in Asia, prompting Germans to rethink their data privacy laws.”

The Associated Press wrote on April 10:

Apple and Google launched a major joint effort to leverage smartphone technology to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. New software the companies plan to add to phones would make it easier to use Bluetooth wireless technology to track down people who may have been infected by coronavirus carriers. The idea is to help national governments roll out apps for so-called ‘contact tracing’ that will run on iPhones and Android phones alike.”

Of course, once this technology is in place, it can be used for other governmental purposes as well.

Restrictions on Free Expressions

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 7:

“The messaging app WhatsApp has moved to limit the increasing spread of misinformation through its platform… Governments around the world have urged social media companies to attempt to curb the spread of misinformation through tighter regulations…

“Misinformation that has been spread on WhatsApp often relates to miracle cures and so-called ‘treatments’ to cure patients of COVID-19 and to conspiracy theories regarding government or private involvement in the outbreak…

“The new limits are in place indefinitely.”

Coming… Hyperinflation in the UK?

Money Week wrote on April 10:

“During inflation, prices are going up… But in hyperinflation, the speed of the increase in prices is so extreme that measuring it is almost irrelevant… one estimate [suggests] that inflation in Weimar Germany peaked in 1923 at 29,500%… a month… Zimbabwe in 2008 was even worse… hyperinflation really describes a situation where the currency is essentially meaningless. It’s the collapse of an economy and its currency, rather than simply a tough period… to quote the title of Adam Fergusson’s history of the Weimar collapse, hyperinflation is quite literally ‘When Money Dies’…

“[For hyperinflation] there needs to be a [supply shock or a] sharp reduction in the productive capacity of the economy… In Weimar Germany, the supply shock was World War I…  Secondly, a country needs to have a lot of obligations that need to be paid in a foreign currency… This makes it impossible for a country to simply print money to get rid of its obligations… Again, if you look at historical hyperinflations, all of them involve countries or regimes with large overseas obligations. In Weimar Germany, it was reparations, denominated in gold

“Thirdly, you need a vicious circle to drive prices up and sustain them at the extraordinary levels seen in a hyperinflation. This ‘transmission mechanism’ comes in the form of rising wages. Prices soar, workers can’t pay for goods, so they demand and get pay rises, which drives up prices further…”

In Weimar, the prices got so high and the value of the currency so low that one could not even buy a loaf of bread for 1 Million Reichsmarks.  The ghost of Weimar might very well be lurking… for the UK and perhaps even for other countries.

Germany Attacks the USA… again…

The Guardian wrote on April 10:

“In the latest sign of tensions with the US, Germany’s foreign minister Heiko Maas criticised the Trump administration’s handling of the outbreak as too slow… Maas took aim at the two extremes of national coronavirus responses, contrasting China’s ‘very authoritarian measures’ with America’s decision to play down the threat ‘for a very long time’.

“‘These are two extremes, neither of which can be a model for Europe,’ Maas said… Maas said he hoped the US would rethink its international relationships in light of the crisis… Although Trump enjoyed a small bump in support at the beginning of America’s outbreak, it fell far short of the increase enjoyed by George W Bush after 9/11, and recent polls have seen his ratings fall back to pre-coronavirus levels.”

Maas is not the one who should be talking about two extremes, given Germany’s slow “response” and the subsequent authoritarian measures which Europe, including Germany, Austria, Italy and Spain, have been imposing on their citizens. The fact that even the coronavirus debacle is being used by Maas for European verbal attacks on the USA is quite remarkable… and sickening.

Prohibiting Church Services Not Unconstitutional in Germany

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 7:

“Berlin’s administrative court on Tuesday rejected an emergency application from an offshoot of one Catholic congregation that wanted a service limited to 50 persons. Berlin’s coronavirus control decree did not violate religious freedoms, judges ruled. Earlier, administrative courts in Hesse and Saxony had declared pandemic bans on gatherings as lawful, and in Hesse’s case, rejected a lone Catholic’s application.

“On Tuesday, constitutional jurist Horst Dreier told Düsseldorf’s Rheinische Post newspaper that banning church services was ‘very problematic.’… Protestant and retired TV presenter Peter Hahne accused Protestant leaders of rushing last month to obey secular authorities. ‘Beverage stores are open, the church is not. Whom do you want to explain that to?’ said Hahne, telling the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung newspaper that not being allowed to physically attend services struck at the ‘core’ of church practice…”

The highest court subsequently confirmed this decision. Sadly, the history of the big two Churches in Germany has been such that they have far too often worked hand in hand with the state and thereby compromised their respective positions. The Catholic and the Protestant churches’ collaboration with Hitler and Mussolini are prime examples. If they would have taken a stance now, maybe the courts would have decided differently.

Most ridiculous and inconsistent regulations have been enacted in Germany and elsewhere which even the mainstream German press acknowledges. But sadly, over 50% of Germans are in agreement with the restrictions or even think that they should be stronger, and they are opposed to revoking them at this time. Further, police have been patrolling Germany from the air with helicopters and drones, as well as on the streets and in parks. Many zealous Germans have been reporting “violators ” to the authorities. All of this reminds one of Germany’s dark days during the Hitler era and during the Communist rule in Eastern Germany. The following development even more:

Die Welt reported on April 10 about statements by Saxony’s Social Minister Petra Koepping (SPD) to the effect that someone can be institutionalized in a psychiatric clinic, under police surveillance, if he or she violates private quarantine. An attorney of the Green party in Leipzig, Juergen Kasek, also supports such a measure, as long as it is “proportionate.”

In addition, note the outrageous comments by the GERMAN Head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen saying that the European “bloc’s elderly may have to be kept isolated until the end of the year to protect them from coronavirus. ‘I know it’s difficult and that isolation is a burden, but it is a question of life or death, we have to remain disciplined and patient. Children and young people will enjoy more freedom of movement earlier than elderly people and those with pre-existing medical conditions,’ she said” (Deutsche Welle, April 12). She has warned EU nationals against booking their summer vacation just yet. “I advise people to delay such plans. No one can make reliable predictions for July and August at the moment,” she told German newspaper Bild am Sonntag.

Why isn’t there an OUTCRY in Europe and all around the world against such authoritarian and dictatorial stupid concepts to imprison the helpless innocent elderly—all under the DISGUISE of wanting to “protect” them? Simply because we are moving towards the Satanic climax and the end of this rotten evil world, as prophesied in the Bible. Satan is holding this entire world captive, having bombarded it and its politicians and leaders with his ideas, having made it and them “drunk,” and his wrath is great, knowing that he has but a short time left.

And note the next articles which are a perfect example of the kind of panic-driven propaganda in Germany which is sadly so prevalent today.

German Propaganda

Deutsche Welle reported on April 8:

“‘Right-wing extremists are trying to capitalize on the crisis,’ Stephan Kramer, president of Thuringia’s office for the protection of the constitution, told German news outlet RND. ‘They criticize the government and the EU for apparent failures [and] are asserting that the coronavirus serves as a means to set up a police state.’

“Kramer also warned that some right-wing extremists were… offering assistance and carrying out community work… Bavaria’s interior minister, Joachim Herrmann, also warned that members of the right wing-extremist party Der Dritte Weg (the Third Way) have been particularly active. Members have been offering assistance in everyday life or going shopping for people during the crisis, in order to win new supporters. They were using the crisis to present themselves as a social organization ‘that takes care of them or the problems of the “little” people,’ said Herrmann…”

Pretty soon, everyone who is questioning the extreme measures imposed by the German government may be labeled as a “right-wing” extremist.

“Germany to Lead EU ‘Coronavirus Presidency”

Deutsche Welle reported on April 13:

“Berlin has vowed a robust response to the health emergency when the country takes over the EU’s rotating presidency in July. Foreign Minister Heiko Maas also called for the strengthening of the WHO and vaccines… Germany has promised strong leadership to help EU countries to overcome the coronavirus pandemic…

“When Germany takes over the presidency [on July 1], Maas said one of the first tasks would be to ‘gradually lift the restrictions on travel and the internal market in an incremental and coordinated manner.’… Maas said if EU leaders learn from the coronavirus crisis, the bloc will come out ‘stronger’ and ‘more unified’ than ever before…

“He added that strengthening the United Nations and the ‘underfunded’ World Health Organization (WHO), especially in the development and distribution of tests and vaccines, is ‘one of the best investments in the fight against the pandemic.’”

Note our articles on vaccines above.

No Major Events in Germany for a Long Time

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 16:

“Germany’s latest lockdown measures now include a ban on major public events until August 31. Although Oktoberfest is due to start after the current cut-off, Bavaria’s state premier said the festival will probably not take place this year. ‘I am very very skeptical. And based on the current situation, I can hardly imagine that such a large event would even be possible at that time,’ Markus Söder [said]…

“Oktoberfest is the world’s largest beer festival… This year’s festivities are scheduled to start on September 19 and run until October 4.”

September 19 is also the Feast of Trumpets. September 28 is the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day are from October 3 until October 10.

Volcanos Erupt

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 11:

Indonesia says the volcano continues to spill lava, hours after the initial eruption… Indonesia’s Anak Krakatau volcano spewed a column of ash 500 meters (1,640 feet) into the sky… Friday’s eruption came two years after a huge flare-up caused a tsunami along the coasts of Sumatra and Java, killing 430 people. Thousands were injured…

“Anak Krakatau, which means Child of Krakatau, is located between the islands of Java and Sumatra and was created after the legendary eruption of Krakatau volcano in August 1883. The eruption was so violent that the volcanic island that had existed until then sank into the sea. More than 35,000 people lost their lives.

“The sea between Sumatra and Java, like the rest of the island nation, sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, the most geologically active zone on earth where volcanic eruptions and earthquakes are frequent.”

The Guardian wrote on April 10:

“Volcanic activity is escalating in a region of Iceland that has not erupted for 800 years, with scientists warning it could cause disruption for centuries to come. Since 21 January, the Reykjanes peninsula south-west of Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik, has experienced more than 8,000 earthquakes and about 10cm of land uplift due to magma intrusions underground…

“Situated close to the town of Grindavík and the popular Blue Lagoon tourist attraction, and only nine miles (15km) from Iceland’s international airport, the region last erupted about 800 years ago (though there have been more recent eruptions offshore). Geological evidence shows the area is fed by five volcanic systems, which seem to come to life in a coordinated way roughly every 1,000 years.

“The last period of volcanic activity on the peninsula began in the 10th century and continued until the 13th… ‘The worst-case scenario is if lava flows towards the town of Grindavík,’ said… the Icelandic Meteorological Office. ‘There is also other important infrastructure in the vicinity including a geothermal power plant…’”

Waves of Earthquakes

Breaking Israel News wrote on April 13:

“The earth seems to be waking up as seismic activity is being reported around the globe. Last month, a 6.5 magnitude earthquake shook Idaho, generating a multitude of avalanches. The quake was the largest in the region since a 6.9 quake hit in 1983. There have been 238 earthquakes in Idaho in the last week… Five of those have been substantial in size rating 4.0 to 6.5…

“Two weeks before Idaho felt the earth move, Salt Lake City, Utah, approximately 340 miles away from the Idaho epicenter, was hit by a 5.7 magnitude earthquake. Since that earthquake, there have been 886 smaller earthquakes and aftershocks in the Salt Lake area.

“The belly of the country is clearly rumbling as the University of Utah Seismograph Station mapped a total of 980 tremors throughout Idaho, Utah and Wyoming since March 18… Though the epicenter in Idaho was over 200 miles distant from the Yellowstone caldera, Yellowstone experienced 111 earthquakes in March…

“Although the probability of an eruption at Yellowstone may (or may not) be small, the results of such an event would be catastrophic in the extreme. Yellowstone Park is seismically active with more than 10,000 thermal features of which more than 500 are geysers. The Yellowstone caldera is listed as the most dangerous supervolcano in existence and as such, is the most monitored volcano in the world…”

Tornadoes in the USA and the Coronavirus

The Guardian wrote on April 12:

“A tornado strike destroyed homes and left a trail of devastation across large parts of the US south on Sunday… The storm provided a dilemma for public safety officials trying to find a balance between wanting people to stay in lockdown for the coronavirus pandemic and wanting them to leave their homes for shelter

“The American Meteorological Society [said:] ‘Do not let the virus prevent you from seeking shelter in a tornado… If a public tornado shelter is your best available refuge from severe weather, take steps to ensure you follow CDC [federal] guidelines for physical distancing and disease prevention.’ Community shelters, the meteorological society said, should be a last resort.”

Animals Take Over

Newsmax wrote on April 3:

“The coronavirus pandemic has cleared the streets in some of the world’s largest cities… [and] various wild animals are reclaiming the streets… In east London, a herd of 100 deer… settled in at a housing estate in Harold Hill. Deer also moved into the ancient Japanese capital of Nara, where around 100 deer were seen casually walking around the city… Spotted deer were also seen wandering along a road in the [Indian] city of Tirupati… during the nation’s lockdown of 1.3 billion people.

“In the north of Italy, wild boar have been seen roaming regions such as Bergamo… Paris, too, has drawn a pack of wild boar while the city is on lockdown.

“In the Chilean capital Santiago, Puma were seen on the streets of the city… Fox News reported hordes of starving monkeys were spotted in the streets of Thailand, fighting over food scraps, due to the pandemic.”

Deadly Asian Giant Hornets Invade Washington

WSU wrote on April 6:

“More than two inches long, the world’s largest hornet carries a painful, sometimes lethal sting and an appetite for honey bees. It is also the newest insect invader of Washington state. The Asian giant hornet, Vespa mandarinia, is unmistakable…

“WSU scientists are bracing for the giant hornet’s emergence this spring. Sighted for the first time in Washington last December, the hornet will start to become active in April… In the first-ever sightings in the U.S., WSDA verified two reports of the Asian giant hornet late last year near Blaine, Wash…  It is not known how or where the hornet first arrived in North America… At home in the forests and low mountains of eastern and southeast Asia, the hornet feeds on large insects, including native wasps and bees. In Japan, it devastates the European honey bee, which has no effective defense… Multiple stings can kill humans, even if they are not allergic…”

The Sun added on April 9:

“The insects, which can kill with a single sting, may have a devastating impact on the already dwindling honeybee population in the U.S…. Experts estimate the pests may cause America a staggering $29.3 million [a year] as they invade.”

Locusts More Destructive than the Coronavirus?

The Associated Press wrote on April 10:

“Weeks before the coronavirus spread through much of the world, parts of Africa were already threatened by another kind of plague, the biggest locust outbreak some countries had seen in 70 years. Now the second wave of the voracious insects, some 20 times the size of the first, is arriving. Billions… are winging in from breeding grounds in Somalia in search of fresh vegetation springing up with seasonal rains.

“Millions of already vulnerable people are at risk… Some people will even tell you that the locusts are more destructive than the coronavirus… The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization has called the locust outbreak… ‘an unprecedented threat’ to food security and livelihoods… Favorable breeding conditions through May mean there likely will be another new round of swarms in late June and July, coinciding with the start of the harvest season…”

Taliban Breaks Off Talks in Afghanistan

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 7:

“The Taliban broke off talks over a prisoner exchange with the Afghan government Tuesday. The exchange was a key step in the peace talks brokered by the US after it agreed a troop withdrawal pact with the militant group. The Taliban’s technical team would no longer participate in ‘fruitless meetings,’ spokesman Suhail Shaheen wrote on Twitter shortly after midnight on Tuesday. ‘Unfortunately, their release has been delayed under one pretext or another,’ he wrote…

“The US signed a peace deal with the Taliban in February, but the success of the pact is dependent on talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government… There are concerns that the talks breaking down could lead to a further escalation in violence.”

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.

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