THE CAMPUS CRUCIBLE OF ISLAMIC HOLY WAR — The student mobs threaten not just the Jews but America and civilization itself

Columbia University “Gaza Solidarity Encampment”

Events at Columbia University and on other American campuses have left many people open-mouthed in shock and horror.

Overnight last night, a mob stormed Columbia’s Hamilton Hall. Masked men dressed in black used hammers and other tools to break in through the windows, barricading entry to the building with tables, chairs and a human chain. They hung a banner reading “Intifada” and screamed, “Settlers, settlers, go back home, Palestine is ours alone.”  There were reports that one campus worker was taken hostage. 

This was an escalation of the “Gaza Solidarity” encampment on campus that has been defying the authorities for nearly a week.  Columbia president Minouche Shafik began suspending students in the encampment who ignored her Monday deadline to “voluntarily disperse.” After days of previous negotiations between university officials and student protesters, the students voted unanimously to remain and declared: “Columbia will burn.”

The Columbia insurrection is but the most extreme version of what’s been playing out on the campuses and streets of America and Britain for the past seven months, ever since the October 7 Hamas pogrom. An alliance between the far left and Hamas operatives has turned dozens of universities into hotbeds of Hamas support and made London’s streets unsafe for Jews in the vicinity of these demonstrations of anti-Jewish power.

People shocked by this reveal that they have never had a clue about how Islamic fanaticism actually works. While the West’s useful idiots have promoted a mythical “two-state solution” that’s actually been rejected by the Palestinian Arabs for almost a century and would constitute instead a Final Solution for the Jews of Israel, their support for the genocidal Palestinian cause has unwittingly sanitised and legitimised a narrative of Islamic holy war.

The ignorant west similarly told itself that Islamic terrorism — including human bomb attacks — was motivated by despair. On the contrary, it is fuelled by exultation and an ecstatic sense of destiny unfolding. The October 7 pogrom, in which 1200 Israeli innocents were barbarically slaughtered and some 240 kidnapped into Gaza, acted as the starting gun for an Islamic world to which this bloody victory over the Israelis signalled the beginning of the end not only for Israel but also for the west. 

The significance of these campus insurrections is far greater than support for Hamas or even murderous hatred of the Jewish world. The universities have become ground zero for the Muslim Brotherhood’s strategy of Islamising the west . . .  (“The campus crucible of Islamic holy war,” Melanie Phillips, 4/30/2024)

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UK LOCAL ELECTIONS TODAY ARE BEING SCRUTINIZED

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is holding his breath today as voters in England and Wales head to the polls to choose mayors, councilors, and other officials in the final local elections before the UK’s next general election, probably in the fall. That’s because Sunak knows the result will be read, fairly or not, as a referendum on his leadership of the Conservative Party, which currently trails the opposition Labor Party by 20+ percentage points in national polls that have remained remarkably stable over the past year.

The received wisdom is that a poor result for Conservatives might provoke an internal party challenge to Sunak that would require 52 party members to send letters to party leaders calling for a vote of no-confidence. But given the pre-election party turmoil it might generate, such a rebellion remains unlikely to succeed.

The Tories who want to topple Sunak, however, are on the offensive. Last weekend, they issued a 100-day plan to reinvigorate their party ahead of national elections, outlining support for tightened migration rules, get-tough-on-crime proposals, and a boost in defense spending.

Results will be available in the coming hours. (Gzero Signal, 5/2/2024)

Results so far (at midday Friday) show a 26% swing to Labour, the socialists.

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CHINA HUMILIATES AMERICA

“This was more than a slight. Aside from a calculated insult to the dignity of the United States, the move indicates Xi Jinping is making clear that the accepted norms of diplomacy will not be respected by China anymore.” — Charles Burton, former Canadian diplomat who served in Beijing, to Gatestone Institute, April 27, 2024.

Blinken was in China to discuss the growing list of disagreements between Washington and Beijing. Not surprisingly, he did not accomplish anything there other than register America’s complaints on matters such as Beijing’s support for the Russian war effort in Ukraine and unfair treatment of U.S. companies. On every major issue, the U.S. and China take different sides, and the Chinese have clearly dug in. Blinken was reduced to begging. (Gordon G. Chang, Gatestone, 4/30/2024)

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DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ON UKRAINE

The world was in disorder, said Fiona Hill, former member of the United States National Security Council, in a speech delivered in the Estonian capital Tallinn in May last year. In numerous countries of the Global South we were witnessing the emergence among “elites and populations” of growing resistance to Western hegemony and, above all, the hegemony of the United States. Gaining ground is the conviction that the West has “imposed” an international order on the South “at a time of weakness,” a system that fails to meet its needs and its interests. Instead, they were seeing, she noted, how the transatlantic powers “dominated the international discourse.” The war in Ukraine was, Hill concedes, the most recent example. According to many in the Global South, it was not about defending Ukraine but, rather, securing the global dominance of the West, which Russia had openly called into question with the war. This was why the sanctions on Russia had received no support in the Global South. Instead, “a mutiny” was currently raging there: a “mutiny against what they see as the collective West.”  (German Foreign Policy, 4/3/2024)

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DIVIDED WE FALL

The demonstrations in the streets of London and on American campuses are very different from those we all remember from 50 years ago.  Then, it was Vietnam.  Now, it’s Gaza.

After the shocking events on October 7^th,  none of us expected that hundreds of thousands of people would soon be rioting against the Jews and for Palestine.

The big difference was immigration.   In the naïve assumption that all peoples in the world could come to America (and Britain) and make the adjustment to our culture, we let in millions – and now we can’t get them out.

And they’re still coming.   They have changed our societies dramatically.  They have divided us terribly.   Many support them, others don’t.

How do we untangle the mess?   I don’t think its possible.   Man created the mess, but man alone cannot put it right.

Matthew 12:25 and Mark 3:25 — “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”

ISRAEL HITS IRAN

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRzrj17Dn8s)

Well, now we know the answer to the question of how Israel planned to respond to Iran’s recent attack. Explosions were reported early on Friday near the northwestern Iranian city of Isfahan, in what several major outlets reported, citing US officials and local sources, as an apparent Israeli strike.

The blasts come just days after Iran launched its first-ever direct attacks on Israel, launching hundreds of missiles and drones, almost all of which were shot down by Israeli and US missile defenses. That salvo was itself seen as a response to Israel’s strike on an Iranian diplomatic compound in Damascus early this month.

Syria and Iraq reported blasts as well. Blasts possibly related to the strikes on Iran were also reported around the same time at sites in Iraq and Syria. Both countries are home to sizable Iranian proxy forces and intelligence units.

So much for the Passover head fake. Earlier on Thursday, US officials had suggested anonymously that Israel would wait until after the Jewish holiday of Passover, which begins Monday, to retaliate.

Was this an escalation by Israel? “On the surface, it appears rather limited,” said Gregory Brew, lead Iran analyst at Eurasia Group, “beyond the symbolic significance of Israel hitting Iranian territory.”

Iran isn’t blaming Israel. Tehran is claiming to have shot down several drones in the Isfahan area but is downplaying the significance of the incident and hasn’t blamed Israel — instead pointing the finger at “infiltrators.” Iran has not indicated any plans for retaliation, in a potential sign that it doesn’t want to escalate the situation.

“It’s early,” Brew noted, “but the official regime line may be that this is not an action that requires immediate and public retaliation.”

That’s good news even in a bad situation, he says. “It would suggest that the Israeli effort to hit back without triggering further escalation has been successful.”  (Gzero Signal, 4/19/2024)

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ISLAMIC ATTITUDES IN THE UK

Poll shows British Muslims want Islam as the national religion and an Islamic political party.  1 in 3 Muslims living in the UK want Islam to be declared the national religion and for everyone to live under the brutal system of Sharia law which calls for beheadings and amputations. 

Among younger Muslims 18-24, 1 in 5 believed that making Islam “our national religion” was “very desirable,” and a total of 43% supported redefining the UK as an Islamic state.  Only 16% opposed it.

This younger group who are the future of Muslims in the UK was also the one most likely to sympathize with Islamic terrorists.

1 in 4 British Muslim men expressed a positive view of Jihad. 46% of British Muslims sympathized with Hamas as did 58% of younger British Muslims. None effectively sympathize with Israel. Previously 1 in 4 Muslims had sympathized with the 7/7 suicide bombers in London.

52% of Muslims supported a ‘blasphemy’ ban on Mohammed cartoons. This Sharia ‘blasphemy code’ had already been used to justify violence and Islamic terrorist attacks against artists and magazines. Including the Charlie Hebdo massacre in Paris by heavily armed Muslim terrorists.

A previous poll reported by The Telegraph in 2015 showed that 1 in 4 Muslims supported the Hebdo attacks. 

Setting up conflicts with feminists and LGBTQ activists, 1 in 5 Muslims wanted to legalize polygamy and 1 in 4 wanted to ban homosexuality. While a majority of Muslim colonists would not commit to the move, both measures had similar levels of opposition and support.    (Jihad Watch, 4/16/2024)

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THE BRUSSELS GANGSTER STATE

A conference of the National Conservatives brought European conservatives together in Brussels, the capital of the European Union.  Delegates included Nigel Farage, the famous Brit and friend of Donald Trump, who led the Brexit campaign; Suella Braverman, a leading Tory politician who is very controversial on immigration;  Victor Orban, the Hungarian Prime Minister, whose conviction is that Hungary belongs to Hungarians and has taken a hard line on immigration; and other Europeans who support the same causes.

From Melanie Phillips, in attendance at the conference:  ‘Bowing to left-wing protests, a Socialist Party Brussels mayor, Philippe Close – who last year invited Tehran mayor Alireza Zakani, a member of Iran’s tyrannical Islamist regime, for an official visit –  pressured the NatCons’ venue, Concert Noble, to cancel the event. Concert Noble, a high-end event space, duly caved.

Undaunted, the conference organizers secured a second venue at the Sofitel hotel. Late on Monday, Sofitel also cancelled after a second Brussels mayor, Vincent de Wolf, applied the thumbscrews. Sofitel duly sought police help to eject the conference organizers from its premises hours before the conference was due to start.

The conference organizers went to court to seek an injunction against Sofitel. The judge threw that out. Hundreds of people were arriving in Brussels for a conference that had nowhere to meet. 

With remarkable persistence and determination, the organizers located a third conference venue, a nightclub called Claridge. They worked most of Monday night setting up from scratch all the equipment, food and other supplies necessary for a two-day conference. By the time the conference registration opened at 8 am on Tuesday morning, it was all up and running — a formidable achievement.  This was, however, far from the end of the story.

For yet another Socialist Party Brussels mayor, Emir Kir, issued an order to shut down the conference. His reasons were “that [NatCon’s] vision is not only ethically conservative (e.g. hostility to the legalisation of abortion, same-sex unions, etc.) but also focused on the defense of “national sovereignty”, which implies, amongst other things, a “Eurosceptic” attitude…”

He also said that some of the speakers “are reputed to be traditionalists” and that the conference must be banned “to avoid foreseeable attacks on public order and peace”.

After his order was issued, three police officers turned up at the back of the hall demanding a shutdown with “immediate effect” on the grounds that the opinions of Farage, Braverman, and other speakers could lead to public disorder. When the TV cameras swiveled round to film the police, however, they beat a retreat outside, doubtless aware that being seen to shut down prominent European politicians wouldn’t be a good look. 

Next, on came Suella Braverman who spoke about the need for the UK to withdraw from the European Convention of Human Rights. She added:  “The thought police instructed by the mayor of Brussels saw fit to try and undermine and denigrate what is free speech and free debate. What really concerns me is that, only last year, the mayor of Brussels was happy to host the mayor of Tehran. And yet he seems to be pretty offended by democratically elected politicians, people from all over the European continent, who are giving voice to millions of people talking about things like securing our borders.”

Other supposedly terrifying topics discussed by the speakers were EU overreach, farmers’ protests, the failing birthrate and the pressures of mass immigration.

Another speaker, German Cardinal Ludwig Müller, was visibly shocked by the police blocking the entrance to the Claridge when he arrived. “This is like Nazi Germany,” he said.  “They are like the SA.”

What was originally a small conference of no great interest to anyone beyond a few thousand political nerds was now creating waves across the world. Country after country voiced shock and outrage about the way it had been treated. Britain’s prime minister, Rishi Sunak, called the attempt to shut down the conference “extremely disturbing.” The events at the Claridge were trending on Twitter. It was publicity for National Conservatism beyond its supporters’ wildest dreams.   (Melanie Phillips, 4/17/2024)  

Attempts to shut down conservatism in Europe and attempts to silence Donald Trump in the US through the courts, may backfire.   Even people who do not support conservatives may find all this disturbing.

Also, it may backfire:  when conservatives are in power, they may use the same tactics to throttle the left.

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THE NEXT HOUSING DISASTER

“Think about the places vulnerable to climate change, and you might picture rice paddies in Bangladesh or low-lying islands in the Pacific. But another, more surprising answer ought to be your own house.  About a tenth of the world’s residential property by value is under threat from global warming – including many houses that are nowhere near the coast.  From tornadoes battering midwestern American suburbs to tennis-ball-size hailstones smashing the roofs of Italian villas, the severe weather brought about by greenhouse gas emissions is shaking the foundations of the world’s most important asset class.

The potential costs stem from policies designed to reduce the emissions of houses as well as from climate-related damage.  They are enormous.  By one estimate, climate change and the fight against it could wipe out 9% of the value of the world’s housing by 2050 – which amounts to $25 trillion, not much less than America’s annual GDP.    It is a huge bill hanging over people’s lives and the global financial system.   And it looks destined to trigger an almighty fight over who should pay up.”   (The Economist, 4/13/2024)

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POSSIBLE UKRAINE DEFEAT

Ahead of the meeting of G7 foreign ministers, beginning today on the island of Capri, there are frank warnings of a Ukrainian defeat on the battlefield. Alarm is being voiced both in Ukraine and in Western capitals. Kiev is “at great risk” of losing the war in the course of this year, declared a high-ranking British military officer at the weekend.

Senior Ukrainian officers had previously warned that the Russian armed forces could soon be able to smash open sections of the front. A Russian advance into large parts of eastern and even central Ukraine is no longer ruled out. Experts criticise the way Western accounts have “talked up the situation in Ukraine from the outset.” The Ukrainian officers complain in particular that the impact of new Western weaponry is frequently overestimated – often based on a traditional bullishness and self-certainty. It is now clear, for example, that the Russian military has learnt how to eliminate Storm Shadow or SCALP cruise missiles, targeting them with a high hit rate. The G7 foreign ministers are now looking at options for preventing a collapse of the Ukrainian front. Foreign Minister Baerbock is proposing a worldwide “mapping of all Patriot systems” to secure faster supplies from third countries.  (German Foreign Policy, 4/19/2024)

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BRIEFLY

“The British Angle” – “Brits should give up alcohol if it offends Muslim immigrants.”  (4/19/2024 YouTube).

One hundred years ago, British troops were trying to keep Muslims and Jews apart; in India the problem was Hindus and Muslims.   Now, one hundred years later, they are trying to keep them apart at home.  Decades of reckless immigration laws have left many ethnic groups fighting each other.

Also on YouTube:  “They all Betrayed us,” with pictures of Rishi Sunak, Gordon Brown, Tony Blair, Theresa May and David Cameron, all prime ministers for over 25 years, except for Liz Truss who was only in office for 49 days and could not do too much damage.   There have been calls for trials and imprisonment.

A London Jew was watching a pro-Palestinian march in the capital city, until the police forced him to move, with the threat of arrest.  He was told “Your presence is aggravating the situation.”  It seems as if the police have been told to keep Jews and Muslims apart.

THE US, MANILA AND BEIJING

Philippine Army and United States Army Pacific officials and personnel during the opening ceremony of Exercise Salaknib at Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija. (PHOTO FROM THE PHILIPPINE ARMY, story on https://globalnation.inquirer.net/231093/2-us-ph-armies-war-games-kicks-off)

America is likely to become over-stretched militarily.   –Editor

Can the US and the Philippines get Beijing to back off?

On Monday, 3,500 US and Filipino troops began what could become their largest-ever annual training exercises on the Philippine island of Luzon. This came a day after major multilateral naval drills in the South China Sea and just ahead of a trilateral US-Philippines-Japan summit in Washington on Thursday.

The message to China? Take the US-Philippines alliance seriously.

How we got here:  China’s beef with the Philippines is over control of the South China Sea, which Beijing sees as its territory. Manila deliberately beached a ship on the disputed Second Thomas Shoal in 1999 and has based a small contingent of Marines in the hulk ever since.

But that shell is falling apart, and when Manila tried to send reconstruction supplies last month, Chinese Coast Guard ships blasted the supply vessel with water cannons, immobilizing it and injuring several aboard.

“China is going up to 9 out of 10 of what it can do short of an armed attack on a public vessel, which would likely trigger the US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty obligations,” says Jeremy Chan, a senior analyst at the Eurasia Group.

Could it lead to war? Washington hopes displays of allied strength and unity will keep Beijing from crossing the line, but Beijing is equally determined to assert what it sees as sovereign rights.

“This is one of China’s absolute red lines,” says Chan. “The South China Sea is one of their core interests and part of party doctrine, just like Taiwan.”

Thursday’s trilateral will focus on joint efforts to deter China and will likely include announcements of upgraded US-Japan security ties.  (Gzero Signal, 4/9/2024)

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From Dearborn, Michigan:

At an International Al-Quds Day rally in Dearborn, Michigan, held on April 5, 2024, and streamed live on Dearborn.org on Facebook, protesters chanted: “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!” Michigan activist, who is affiliated with the Hadi Institute, Tarek Bazzi said that it is not “Genocide Joe” that has to go, referring to President Biden, but it is the entire system of the United States “that has to go.” He Quoted Malcolm X, saying: “We live in one of the rottenest countries that has ever existed on this earth.” Bazzi added that “death to Israel” has become the “most logical chant shouted across the world today.” Michigan Imam Usama Abdulghani, who is also affiliated with the Hadi Institute, said that the founder of the Islamic Revolution Imam Khomeini established the International Al-Quds Day because he realized that Israel was a “cancer” and an “evil settler colonialist project.” He said that the “people of conscience” recognize that Israel is ISIS, Nazis, and fascists. (MEMRI, 4/8/2024)

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THE RIGHT DISHONORABLE FOREIGN SECRETARY

The British Foreign Secretary, Lord Cameron of Chipping Camden, has more than once let it be known that he is an ally of the State of Israel and a friend to the Jewish people.  And Cameron is an honorable man.

In recent weeks, Cameron — now backed by several parliamentarians — has been threatening to block arms sales to Israel. British arms sales to Israel are actually minimal; Britain buys more arms from Israel. Britain also benefits mightily from Israeli intelligence and shared military know-how, so a stand-off like this threatens to hurt Britain in practical terms more than it would Israel.

The main purpose of the threat, however, is to isolate Israel in the world as a pariah state and ride the politically ferocious tiger of Muslim and left-wing Jew-hatred. Since Israel is fighting for its survival against a genocidal enemy which slaughtered, tortured, beheaded or raped 1200 Israelis on October 7 and took 240 hostages, and threatens to do the same over and over again until it has destroyed Israel and killed every Jew, this would suggest that Cameron is vicious, cynical or amoral  — or all three.

But Cameron is an honourable man.    

Boris Johnson wrote today in the Mail on Sunday:  “If we ban the sale of arms ourselves, it surely follows that we do not think any self-respecting country should be arming the Israelis. And if we are willing everyone, including the U.S., to end their military support, be in no doubt what that means. There is only one logical conclusion.

We are willing the military defeat of Israel and the victory of Hamas. Remember that in order to win this conflict, Hamas only has to survive. All they need at the end is to hang on, rebuild, and go again. That’s victory for Hamas; and that is what these legal experts seem to be asking for.” 

But that would be an act of supreme malevolence against the Jewish state that’s fighting for its life against an enemy which committed the largest slaughter of Jews since the holocaust.   And Cameron is an honorable man. (Melanie Phillips, 4/7/2024)

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EURO ELECTIONS

In next June’s European elections extreme right-wing parties threaten to become the strongest force in a third of member states and the second or third strongest force in another third. This finding comes from an analysis by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), a pan-European think tank. The latest polls predict a major shift in the make-up of the European Parliament. The far-right ECR parliamentary group and ID group will together be stronger than either the Social Democrats or the conservative EPP. The study indicates that the EPP parties and Social Democrats are about to face significant losses. Although they might mathematically still form a narrow majority in an alliance with the liberal Renew Europe group, such a parliamentary coalition would be unstable and unworkable in practice. This is the background to a debate in the EU on whether, under conservative EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, forces on the far right should be embraced as partners after the election. The focus is on cooperation with the ECR group, which includes the Sweden Democrats and Vox from Spain. In the European Parliament this group is led by the ultra-right Fratelli d’Italia under Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.  (German Foreign Policy, 4/10/2024)

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INTERESTING STATS ON INDIANS AND INDIA

“Most Indians abroad have been highly successful.   In 2023 they sent home nearly $125 billion in remittances, equivalent to around 3.4 % of India’s GDP, according to World Bank estimates. In America 80% of citizens of Indian origin have college degrees.   The median Indian household income there is $150,000, twice America’s national average.  People of Indian descent lead Google, the World Bank – and Britain.

“There are still plenty of low- or semi-skilled Indian workers filling menial jobs the host countries’ natives will not or cannot do, especially in the Gulf states. Yet even there the share of white-collar professionals as a proportion of Indians is growing.  It now approaches 30%.  Especially in English-speaking countries, today’s Indian diaspora has more cash and clout than earlier waves of migrants, who often started out dirt-poor.”  (The Economist, International section, page 55, March 30,^, 2024)

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UK NEWS

As of 14 March 2024, it has 792 sitting members. The House of Lords is the only upper house of any bicameral parliament in the world to be larger than its lower house, and is the second-largest legislative chamber in the world, behind the National People’s Congress of China (Wikipedia).  

PRIVY COUNCIL:  As of March 2024, there are 730 members on the Council. (Wikipedia).

The British government is to donate 34,000 pounds to help combat racism in cricket, Rishi Sunak’s favorite sport.

The Government is still planning on deporting “asylum seekers” to Rwanda.   They have already given the African country 500 million pounds.  Not one person has been sent there at the time of writing.   500 million pounds down the drain!   (That’s 625 million dollars.)

British Muslims are demanding a ban on pictures of Muhammed.   I fail to understand this.   There are no pictures of Muhammed.   Any image drawn today cannot possibly be accurate.  This does not mean the British government will not give in.  Compromise is the order of the day, especially when it comes to anything Islamic.

FALKLAND ISLANDS.  Argentina is demanding the “return” of the Falkland Islands again.  Last time, over 40 years ago, their demands led to a short war between Argentina and Britain.   Once again, they are demanding their “return.”  Note the following from Wikipedia:

“Sovereignty over the Falkland Islands (Spanish: Islas Malvinas) is disputed by Argentina and the United Kingdom. The British claim to sovereignty dates from 1690, when they made the first recorded landing on the islands, and the United Kingdom has exercised de facto sovereignty over the archipelago almost continuously since 1833. Argentina has long disputed this claim, having been in control of the islands for a few years prior to 1833. The dispute escalated in 1982, when Argentina invaded the islands, precipitating the Falklands War. Falkland Islanders overwhelmingly prefer to remain British. Following the British victory in the Falklands War, they were granted full British citizenship under the British Nationality (Falkland Islands) Act 1983.”  (Wikipedia)

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UPDATE ON GRAYSON

My wife and I live with our daughter and her four sons.   It has been a real joy to share in their lives.

Two of her sons, the eldest and the youngest, have autism.  The eldest, Aubren, is twelve and has a milder form of autism and he is crazy about trains, especially steamies.  Whenever he has a half day on a Friday, we go and visit Owosso, home of the Pere Marquette, one of the biggest railroad steam engines in the world.

The youngest, Grayson, has a very severe form of autism, PANS, food allergies, and mold toxicity.  He is almost 6 and has not yet spoken a word officially. He has all kinds of other issues.  We have to have a completely different approach with Grayson, who is a much bigger challenge.

Raising Grayson requires a great deal of patience.  I am often mindful of I Corinthians 13:8 – “Love never fails.”  He’s an adorable little guy who loves to play.  He’s never happier than when he’s out in the backyard, preferably without clothes!  He is always dressed to go out but removes his clothes as soon as he can.

With such a family background, I’ve learned at a much deeper level the truth in the rest of the verse.  To put it bluntly, NOTHING ELSE MATTERS.  Prophecy is interesting, but in the context of salvation, is not very important.   Nor is the ability to speak in tongues and nor is knowledge.  

‘Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.’

We have also learned that there is a great deal of love in our churches and even outside of the church.   When we had a GoFundMe to raise money for a treatment for Grayson, the money came from incredible people who gave despite their tight budgets.   It was so heartbreaking that the treatment didn’t do that much for him but the love was gratefully noted by our family.  And we really appreciated it.  Thank you to all those who contributed.

My daughter will be busy every day for the rest of her life.   Grayson is completely in God’s hands now – the medical system has nothing for him.  Prayers are so appreciated.  I doubt that we will be much help for many more years.  But what Grayson will feel in his life is the love of ourselves and others.   Hopefully, when we meet again in the kingdom that will be a lasting force that will once again bind us together!

MISTAKEN FOR HAMAS FIGHTERS, AID WORKERS KILLED

John Chapman, James ‘Jim’ Henderson and James Kirby, three Britons among the seven WCK aid workers killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza. Photograph: PA (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/02/israeli-airstrike-gaza-british-citizens-aid-workers-killed)

Mistaken for Hamas terrorists, three British aid workers were amongst seven humanitarian workers killed while trying to deliver aid into Gaza.

This was clearly an accident, though Israel is being accused of murder.

It seems that Israel cannot do anything right.  The three British aid workers could be compared to the three Israeli hostages who were shot and killed by Israeli troops a few weeks ago.  Both were terrible tragedies, especially for their families.

The three men knew the risks.   They knew there was a possibility of being killed while doing work in Gaza.   It’s doubtful a day went by without them thinking this could be their last.

Expect more deaths of innocent aid workers around the world.

Meanwhile, we should all remember John 15:13. “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

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AUSTRALIA

Australia is a constitutional monarchy whose Head of State is King Charles III.   Sixty years ago, Australia was an intensely loyal nation.   This has changed significantly in recent decades, with many now favoring a republic, replacing the Governor-General, appointed by the king, with an unelected  ceremonial president, appointed by parliament.  This politician’s republic would actually result in the politician’s being given more power.  A change in the system would also make government less stable, as a monumental change would have a ripple effect – many laws would have to be changed.

A year or so ago, a US based institute dedicated to preserving and extending democracy published a list of the ten most stable democracies in the world.   Six were constitutional monarchies (4 of them shared King Charles III).   The US was missing from the list.

At the same time, Australia’s role as part of the “multitude of nations” would change.   (Genesis 17:5).  Prior to World War II the Commonwealth of Nations, as it was called, was the free world’s first line of defense.  It would, in fact, end the multitude of nations, with little possibility of it being restored.  – Editor

PAULINE HANSON CRITICAL OF NEW GG APPOINTMENT

Pauline Hanson has called for the process in which Australia’s governor-general is selected, to be scrapped, after taking issue with the appointment of Samantha Mostyn to the role.

The former Labor staffer was officially announced as the 28th Governor-General on Wednesday and will replace David Hurley on July 1 after King Charles accepted Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s recommendation for the role.

The Australian businesswoman will become the second female governor-general in Australia, following the footsteps of Dame Quentin Bryce who served from 2008 to 2014.

Ms. Mostyn’s history of activism was revealed by conservative lobby group Advance Australia earlier in the day which described her appointment as an “insult to mainstream Australians.”   (Patrick Staveley, Sky News Australia, 4/4/2024)

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DEATH OF A POLICEMAN

On the eve of Easter Sunday, for as far as the eye could see, thousands of police officers lined a quiet suburban Long Island street to offer their solemn final salute to a fellow officer, who was shot to death during a traffic stop in New York City. They came from all over the nation to pay tribute to one of their own, yet another victim in the absence of a war against crime, a situation that has been made far more violent, far more dangerous in the wake of legislation such as so-called “bail reform” — now basically a catch-and-release, in which criminals are regarded as victims and victims are regarded as criminals — and similar progressive initiatives that are unraveling our society.

Detective First Grade Jonathan Diller was married to a nurse named Stephanie; they had a toddler named Ryan.

In her eulogy to her murdered husband, Stephanie told a packed church: “He was excited that Ryan’s first word was ‘Dada,’ and I remember I would playfully try to get him to say ‘Mama’ instead. But now I never want to stop hearing Ryan say ‘Dada’ to me.”

Our lives were pretty much perfect until five days ago when everything changed forever . . . He wasn’t the type to sugarcoat anything, so I won’t sugarcoat this: This is devastating; it’s a devastating, senseless and tragic loss for so many — our family, our friends, and the entire city of New York,” this courageous widow continued.

She asked, “How many more police officers and their families will have to make the ultimate sacrifice before the city protects them?”

Media reports that when she finished her tribute, “thunderous applause rose from the thousands of mourners inside and outside the church.”

Regardless of where you live, or what you have experienced in your communities, this tragedy speaks to a nation in turmoil. Entire urban downtowns have become wastelands. Legislation has been passed that harms the ability of police to perform their duties.

With blue flags flying throughout Diller’s community, they reflect the lasting support from neighbors seeking to stand in solidarity with a family shattered by a murderous felon. Those flags, however, cannot begin to reflect the seething anger and heartfelt grief that is a legacy of Diller’s death. There are those, including this author, who will ask why the murderer will likely be sentenced to life imprisonment. Why aren’t we prepared to bring back capital punishment for those who take the lives of those brave men who daily risk their own lives to protect our families, our communities, and our society? Why indeed?

Lawrence Kadish serves on the Board of Governors of Gatestone Institute.  (Gatestone, 4/3/2024)

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AI VOICES ARE COMING

The US and UK have struck the world’s first bilateral agreement on AI safety, agreeing to cooperate on testing and risk-assessing artificial intelligence.

Both countries will conduct their safety testing through new government bodies planned during last year’s summit at Bletchley Park in the UK – which each country is calling the Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute. While the countries lag behind peers in the European Union on passing comprehensive legislation to govern the use of AI, they’ve introduced a series of lighter-touch measures to get the ball rolling

That said, the US seems much more eager to regulate the technology than the UK, which has promised a hands-off approach under its current leadership. The two countries haven’t divulged how exactly they’ll cooperate but said they plan jointly testing at least one “publicly accessible model.”  If the collaboration bears fruit, we’re watching for the principles it innovates to spread more widely, and whether other countries adopt bilateral AI alliances.   (Gzero Signal, 4/2/2024)

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DUMBOS TO DEUTSCHLAND

Let’s talk about the elephant(s) in the room — all 20,000 — that Botswana’s leader is publicly threatening to unleash on German soil. President Mokgweetsi Masisi issued this warning after Berlin’s environment ministry, in the name of conservation, weighed a ban on hunting trophy imports from Africa: “If you like [elephants] so much, then please accept this gift from us.”

Masisi’s side:  Botswana is home to over 130,000 elephants, more than any other country in the world. Herds can cause property damage, eat crops, and even trample residents, and Masisi says hunting is necessary to control the exploding population. Banning the trophies would also contribute to poverty, he said, as hunting can be an important source of income for rural communities.

Germany’s side:  Animal rights groups argue that hunting elephants is cruel and should be banned, regardless of population size. A PETA spokesperson went so far as to say that hunting is merely “a hobby of rich, jaded people who have more money than morals.” Plus, the German Association for Animal Welfare insists that hunts exacerbate societal inequalities in communities instead of diminishing them.

What’s next:  While Masisi assured that this “is not a joke,” German officials say Gaborone has “not yet contacted” them to discuss sending Dumbos to Deutschland.  (Gzero Signal, 4/4/2024)

ISRAEL ALONE

I wrote my blog yesterday and titled it.  The Economist arrived last night — its cover (above) was also titled “Israel Alone.” – Editor

Israel is taking quite a battering lately, mostly from its friends, including the US. Israel is decidedly alone.   — Editor

In my article last week, I wrote that America was abandoning Israel. Today, the Biden administration wrote its name in the annals of infamy by openly joining the axis of evil against those defending civilization.

The UN Security Council has passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza for the remainder of Ramadan, and the immediate and unconditional release of Israeli hostages.

Breaking with its historic policy by vetoing hostile resolutions at the UNSC  to protect Israel against those working for its destruction and the defeat of the West, the US abstained today and so the resolution was passed. 

And of course, the UK, the Biden administration’s poodle whose Foreign Secretary, Lord Cameron, has been threatening Israel with an end to arms sales unless it does what he and the US State Department are demanding, abstained alongside the US. 

So both the US and UK are now aligned with the West’s foes Russia and China against Israel, the sole defender of the West in the Middle East. What a disgrace.

The resolution is obnoxious because it fails to condition a ceasefire on the release of the hostages, thus destroying the chances of the latter actually occurring.  (Israel Alone, Melanie Phillips, 3/25/2024)

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THERE GOES LATIN AMERICA

This news from South America illustrates a weakness on the part of the US.   It’s largely self-inflicted.  – Editor

A threatening development has been brewing largely under the radar of the Biden administration and the mainstream media attention: Iran’s calculated expansion into Latin America, from Argentina to Mexico.

With alarming nonchalance, the Biden administration appears to have turned a blind eye to the Iranian regime’s concerted efforts to establish a military foothold right in America’s backyard. The ramifications of this complacency are profound. The Iranian regime, which, since it began in 1979, has been calling for “Death to America,” now has ballistic missiles which it says can reach the US, and claims to have a hypersonic missile that, according to one report, “Can Destroy US In 40 sec.”  (“There goes Latin America,” Majid Rafizadeh, Gatestone, 3/16/2024)

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25 YEARS LATER, IS PUTIN WINNING?

Surprising zero people, Vladimir Putin on Sunday “won” his fifth term as Russia’s president.

The result was not close:  Russia’s electoral authorities say Putin took 87% of the vote with 77% turnout. A landslide was never in question, as Putin has systematically eliminated any opposition to his rule.

Putin has now ruled Russia for 25 years. When he first became president, no one had ever heard of “YouTube,” Italy’s economy was still bigger than China’s, and Britney Spears ruled the Billboard with “One More Time.” But now, a quarter of a century later, is Putin more powerful than ever?

Consider:

• His economy has largely weathered sanctions and is humming again — on a war footing.
• He faced down an insurrection from his own warlord protege last year.
• He dispatched his most eloquent and charismatic critic to the grave.
• The war in Ukraine wasn’t the four-day cakewalk to Kyiv he imagined, but Russia again has the upper hand in a grinding war of attrition as Ukraine scrambles to find more military aid.
• The Putin-curious Donald Trump leads the polls ahead of this fall’s US presidential election.

To be clear, there are plenty of reasons to believe that Russia is a long-term loser as a result of Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine.  (Gzero Signal, 3/18/2024)

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Niger wants US troops out. – A SET BACK FOR US

In another setback for the US, America is going to withdraw from Niger (not to be confused with Nigeria).   – Editor

Niger’s military junta announced Saturday that it would end the agreement that allows US troops to operate in the country. Niamey said the pact was “profoundly unfair,” and cited a “condescending attitude” and alleged violations of diplomatic protocol during a high-level visit last week.

Washington has been trying to find ways to work with the military governments that have seized power in Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali to combat extremist militants in the region. But at the same time, the Biden administration has pressured Niamey to set a timeline to restore democratic control and reportedly raised alarm at a possible deal to sell uranium to Iran, which seems to have led to the rupture.

What happens now? The US has about 1,000 troops in Niger and operates a drone base monitoring suspected militants in the north of the country. The State Department is aware of the demand but has not commented on next steps.

If US troops do pull out of their base in Niger, it would remove a major obstacle for Niger to expand its relationship with Russia, as juntas in Mali and Burkina Faso have. The former Wagner Group mercenaries have been absorbed into Moscow’s Defense Ministry and rebranded the Africa Corps, which is expected to deploy on the continent this summer.  (Gzero Signal, 3/18/2024)

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CHINESE THREAT BECOMES MORE REAL

This is a dire warning for the US, not taken very seriously. – Editor

• China-linked hackers appear to be looking to attack U.S. infrastructure, especially key components such as the electrical grid, water reservoirs and treatment plants, pipelines, and transportation and communications systems, among other targets.

• The goal is seemingly to disrupt the U.S. everything critical to life – if you have no electricity, your cellphone will not work; no water will come out of the tap; gas pumps will not pump gas; flights and trains will stop, and disease from disabled sewage treatment plants will spread. There will be havoc and panic. The government and military will be unable to protect the nation. That is what is meant by “unrestricted warfare.” Not a bullet was fired. It did not have to be. According to Sun Tzu’s The Art of War, it is perfect.

• What are some of the steps that should be taken?  The West has correctly identified the CCP as the malign threat that it is; now we have a responsibility to put into place the measures and deterrents to prevent it from attacking us through cyberspace or any other way. Let us not wait until we experience a 9/11-scale cyberattack that could be far more damaging to the U.S. than what took place on that dark day more than 20 years ago. (Pete Hoekstra, Gatestone, 3/26/2024)

SCRIPTURE CORNER

Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers . . . nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

Most of the conquerors in history have been egotistical thugs. They established kingdoms by their own power and for their own glory, often killing many thousands of people to do so. But what we learn from Scripture is that Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords, has conquered all things by laying down his own life as a ransom for us. By doing that, he broke the power of sin’s hold on us. And that means no other power in all creation or even in the spiritual realms can separate us from God. Nothing can separate us “from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Sometimes the challenges we face are from circumstances and other people, but the root of all challenges to our faith comes from spiritual forces that are at war with God. Those spiritual powers would love to destroy us, but they cannot touch us because of God’s protection in Christ. Jesus has already won the battle. And because he won, we win! When Jesus rose from the dead, he overcame the ultimate weapon of the forces of evil—death. Never again can Satan and the powers of evil have a hold on us, because Jesus has brought us into everlasting life. With him, we are more than conquerors.   (Kent van Til, Our Daily Bread, 3/26/2024)

THERE IS NO PEACE WITH THE RELIGION OF PEACE

(MUHAMMAD HAMED/REUTERS)

England is going through never-ending problems with its Muslims.

When I say England, I mean England.  The same thing does not apply yet in Wales and Scotland or Northern Ireland.

Many of us have seen it coming for decades.   It took the Hamas-Israel conflict to bring it to a head.  Almost immediately after the brutal attack by Hamas on October 7^th, hundreds of thousands of Muslims started demonstrating for Palestine on the streets of London.  They totally ignored the atrocities committed by Hamas.  They also ignored laws that already existed, against calls for genocide and against disorderly conduct in the demonstration itself.    Statues of famous Londoners were damaged.  It was as if a hostile army had entered the capital, ready to kill and destroy.

Every Saturday since the Hamas attack these demonstrations have gone on, making life very inconvenient for Londoners.     This has particularly affected Jews who no longer feel safe in London.   It’s not just because of physical abuse.  There are also the illegal chants that overwhelm other voices.  “From the river to the sea” is an illegal chant because it calls for the genocide of the Jews in the Holy Land.      But these people are lawless.

How did Britain get here?

Before 1945 the United Kingdom was made up of Anglo-Saxons and Celts, with a little smattering of Jews and others.  This was to change dramatically in the postwar years.   The British people were never consulted about this.   The change was simply imposed on them.   It wasn’t until the Blair and Brown governments elected in 1997 and the early 2000’s that the alarm went off as millions of new arrivals arrived from just about everywhere.  This has totally changed the character of Britain.   Social cohesion is now sadly lacking.   Levels of crime have increased alarmingly.  Much of this can be blamed on Blair and Brown, but not all.  Every government since World War II contributed to this.   It has even been suggested that these two men be put on trial, as what they did with their open borders destroyed the country!

Now, British people are starting to think that this social ‘experiment’ is costing them a fortune.

There has never been an attempt to determine how cost effective this has all been.   But the fact is that the majority of people who enter the UK from other countries are largely poor and uneducated.   The government covers all medical costs and the cost of their children’s education immediately.  They are also entitled to welfare.   It’s not surprising that tens of thousands by-pass France and head straight for Britain.

Most people do not assimilate.   They don’t even try.  They retain their own customs.    This includes millions of Muslims.

Hosea 7:9-10 King James Version (KJV) “Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not. And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face: and they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him for all this.”  This verse aptly describes modern Israel.

An additional problem with Muslims is their intolerance.   On Monday night of this week Douglas Murray, an anti-Muslim speaker, was to address a crowd of people at the Apollo Theater in London.   This was to be a mainly Jewish crowd.      Muslims turned up and stopped the meeting from ever taking place.      Censorship and threats of violence are the main contributions of “the religion of peace.”

London has become inhospitable to non-Muslims.  The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is a Muslim of Pakistani descent who, some have said, is in league with “militants”.   There is not much hope of replacing him at the next election, demographics being what they are.

Finally, it needs to be said that most of Britain’s leaders are cowards when it comes to dealing with these problems.  Faced with the rising influence of Islam, the government is going to build a memorial in London to all the Muslims who fought with Britain in World War II.  This will honor the men of the British Indian Army.   The government is also donating 117 million pounds (approximately 150 million dollars) to help strengthen security at the country’s mosques.   Christian churches need it more, but they were not offered a penny.   Another illustration of cowardice is that dozens of MPs (members of parliament) are not going to seek re-election this year.   Following the murders of two MPs by “extremists,” one white and one Muslim, the appeal of parliament is waning.

The Muslim problem will not go away and is likely to get worse particularly as nobody wants to tackle the problem of immigration.  An election this year will likely see Labor (the socialists) back in power who will just ignore it.   If something is not done quickly this could be the death of England.   Seriously.  

Prophesying of Israel in the last days, God warns: “The foreigners living among you will become stronger and stronger, while you become weaker and weaker. They will lend money to you, but you will not lend to them. They will be the head, and you will be the tail!” (Deut 28:43-44)

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GAMBIA CONTEMPLATES GIANT LEAP BACKWARDS

Gambia’s National Assembly voted Monday to advance a bill repealing the country’s ban on female genital cutting. The vote sent the bill to committee, buying opponents three months before repealing the ban is up for a final vote. If it passes, Gambia will become the first nation to roll back protections against cutting, potentially setting a dangerous precedent for other countries.

Over 75% of women in Gambia experience cutting, which usually involves removing the clitoris and labia minora of girls between the ages of 10 and 15 and often leads to infection and life-threatening complications during childbirth.

The practice was banned in 2015 but only enforced for the first-time last year. After three practitioners were fined, influential imams in the Muslim-majority country called to repeal the ban, claiming that cutting is religiously and culturally important.

Anti-cutting campaigners protested outside Parliament during the vote, but only religious leaders and their supporters advocating for the repeal were granted entrance. Out of the 47 lawmakers present, 42 voted to advance the repeal in a parliament with only five women.

Opponents of the bill fear that if the ban is repealed, other laws protecting women and girls, like the ban on child marriage, will be next. (Gzero Signal, 3/19/2024)

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TURMOIL IN CUBA AS FOOD SHORTAGES BITE

Extended blackouts and food scarcity drove Cubans into the streets of Santiago, the Caribbean country’s second-largest city, on Monday, in rare and risky protests. President Miguel Díaz-Canelblamed the US trade embargo for shortages and warned that American “terrorists” were fomenting dissent.

Cuba depends heavily on its allies, Russia and Venezuela, for food and fuel, but the island’s rumbling economic crisis means each peso fails to go as far as it once did. The government raised prices on fuel by over 400% at the start of March as part of an effort to stabilize the economy and control spiraling inflation, which officially topped 30% (though the real rate is likely higher).

Havana is now receiving aid from the World Food Bank for the first time, after requesting help in a rare acknowledgment that the country can’t feed itself. Now, blackouts of up to 18 hours a day mean that ordinary folks can’t refrigerate what food they do have, and instead watch it spoil in tropical weather. Over 400,000 people have fled to the US in the two and a half years since the last major economic protests.

We’re watching for signs of unrest spreading to other cities, and for how hard Havana cracks down on dissent.  (Gzero Signal, 3/19/2024)

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BRITISH ISLES BRIEFS

Leo Varadkar is to step down as Taoiseach and as leader of his party, Fine Gael. In an announcement this lunchtime in Dublin, Varadkar said he would quit as party leader with immediate effect but stay in the role of Taoiseach until his successor is appointed. Explaining his decision, Varadkar cited ‘personal and political reasons’ as to why ‘after careful consideration and soul searching, I don’t feel I’m the best person for the job anymore.’  (The Spectator, 3/20/2024)

Bristol, England – has seen more than its share of knife crime.   The police are now giving young boys a survival kit, to help them help others who have been stabbed.    They will be able to stop the bleeding until the ambulance arrives.

All three of the kingdoms that comprise Great Britain are now led by immigrants.   It may be four in a week or two when Ireland replaces Leo Varadkar.  Great Britain is the first European entity to experience this.  It’s too much of a coincidence!

On Monday March 11^th, Lee Anderson, a Conservative Member of Parliament, defected to the new Reform Party, becoming the Reform Party’s first sitting MP.   As Mr. Anderson said, “I just want my country back.” 

WILL THIS BE AMERICA’S LAST YEAR?

NATO is the biggest and longest-serving alliance in history, with 32 members.  It was founded in 1949.   It was about that time that the US was first called the Leader of the Free World.  (Prior to World War II Britain had the same status.). Seventy-five years later, there is increasing talk of ending the alliance.   That would mean the US ending its leadership role.  It would no longer be called the Leader of the Free World.  That role would be passed to another member of NATO.

Note the following quotes from Wikipedia:

“On 6 May 2010, upon an address to the plenary chamber of the European Parliament, the then US Vice President Joe Biden, stated that Brussels had a “legitimate claim” to the title of “capital of the free world,” normally a title reserved for Washington. He added that Brussels is a “great city which boasts 1,000 years of history and serves as capital of Belgium, the home of many of the institutions of the European Union and the headquarters of the NATO alliance.”

“When Time declared the German Chancellor Angela Merkel as Time Person of the Year for 2015, they referred to her as “Europe’s most powerful leader,” and the cover bore the title “Chancellor of the Free World.”  Following the election of Donald Trump to the US presidency in November 2016, The New York Times called Merkel “the Liberal West’s Last Defender,” and a number of commentators called her “the next leader of the free world.”  Merkel herself rejected the description. An article by James Rubin in Politico about a White House meeting between Merkel and Trump was ironically titled “The Leader of the Free World Meets Donald Trump.”

“Is Europe ready?”

“Russia is becoming more dangerous.  America is less reliable and Europe remains unprepared.  The problem is simply put, but the scale of its solution is hard to comprehend.  The security arrangements based on NATO that emerged from the Second World War – and have prevented a third – are so much part of Europe’s fabric that remaking them will be an immense task.   European leaders urgently need to jettison their post-Soviet complacency. That means raising their defense spending to a level not seen in decades, restoring Europe’s neglected military traditions, restructuring its arms industries and preparing for a possible war.  The work has barely begun.

“The murder of Alexei Navalny, Russia’s main opposition leader, in a penal colony on February 16^th ought to have shattered any remaining illusions about the ruthlessness and violence of Vladimir Putin.  As the violence enters its third year, Russia is winning in Ukraine.  Having put the economy on a war footing, Russia’s president is spending 7.1% of GDP on defense.   Within three to five years, Denmark’s defense minister has said, Mr. Putin could be ready to take on NATO, perhaps by launching hybrid operations against one of the Baltic states.  His aim would be to wreck NATO’s pledge that if one country is attacked, the others will be ready to come to its aid.”  (“Is Europe ready?” The Economist 2/24)

In its 75 year history, only once has Clause 5 of the treaty been invoked. That was on Sept 11, 2001. The country helped was America.

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WHAT’S BORIS JOHNSON UP TO IN VENEZUELA?

Boris Johnson is back in the news again – but not for the reasons you might think. The former UK prime minister secretly flew by private jet to Venezuela last month for talks with President Nicolás Maduro, according to an exclusive in The Sunday Times.

Apparently with the knowledge of Foreign Secretary David Cameron, Johnson spoke to the widely sanctioned autocrat Maduro about the war in Ukraine, amid fears that the “oil-rich socialist republic” could supply weapons to Russia, its stalwart ally. But Johnson also reportedly discussed the possibility of the UK normalizing relations with Venezuela – as the US did last year – in exchange for its first “free and fair presidential elections” since 2013. 

The UK (and most of the world) doesn’t accept Maduro as the legitimate leader of Venezuela, after the fraudulent 2018 elections. But as we discussed in our end-of-year The Week Unwrapped podcast, the poverty-stricken nation has become a focal point in the global tug-of-war between authoritarianism and democracy. A long-time ally of Iran, Venezuela is also attractive to the US for its massive oil reserves and for its potential to help stem the flow of desperate Venezuelan migrants into America.

Maduro has agreed to hold elections on 28 July – but will likely run without a challenger, after banning his strongest adversary from public office for alleged corruption. Johnson’s back-channel visit is bound to raise eyebrows in Westminster, but whether it will move the dial on democracy in Caracas looks much less likely.  (The Week, 3/11/2024)

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INDIA’S NEW CITIZENSHIP LAW

EDITOR’S COMMENT: India has some of the strictest laws on immigration and citizenship.   Whereas the Indian PM is always calling for the US, UK and Australia to allow in more Indians, the doors are always closed the other way.  The new proposed citizenship law will tweak that, a little.

The Indian government implemented a new citizenship law on Monday after over four years of delay that critics say may be used to discriminate against the country’s large Muslim minority.

What’s the new law? The amendment extends Indian citizenship to Hindus, Parsis, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, and Christians who moved to India from Pakistan, Afghanistan, or Bangladesh before Dec. 31, 2014.

Supporters say the law is meant to help members of those faiths escape persecution in their countries of origin, but critics worry it is one step of a two-part plan. In combination with a proposed national register of citizens, they say this law could be used to render Muslims stateless. When the law was first passed in 2019, it triggered months of protests and riots that left dozens dead and hundreds injured, which is why the government waited years to implement it.

Why now? Prime Minister Narendra Modi has never looked stronger, and he’s aiming to fire up Hindu nationalist sentiment ahead of elections this spring. Modi is expected to win comfortably, but he’s aiming to run up his party’s vote count as high as possible and solidify its long-term prospects.

To that end, earlier this year he opened a controversial Hindu temple on the grounds of a former mosque in a massive symbolic victory, which had been the site of violent confrontation for over a century. And to woo less spiritually motivated voters, Modi announced he was spending $15 billion on infrastructure in the south and east, where he hopes to make inroads into opposition strongholds.  (Gzero Signal, 3/12/2024)

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GAINING WAR EXPERIENCE

Following the death of three sailors in another Houthi militia attack on a freighter in the Gulf of Aden, the situation in the operational area of Germany’s state-of-the-art frigate, The Hessen, continues to worsen. In response to the attack, there is likely to be a renewed wave of US-British strikes on Houthi (Ansar Allah) positions in Yemen. Yet it is highly unlikely that this firepower will dissuade Ansar Allah from launching further attacks on merchant shipping. The Hessen has been deployed to the Red Sea and neighboring waters as part of Operation Aspides, the EU’s own maritime security mission to protect merchant ships. The vessel’s initial actions have not been a success. Its anti-drone missiles have missed their target several times, including an attempt to bring down a misidentified US drone. German naval circles speak of beginner’s mistakes and the need to learn lessons:  “What the ship and crew lack is war experience.” The German navy is keen to gain this war experience. The Hessen can spy on large parts of Yemen thanks to its advanced technical equipment. The data yielded can be passed on to the US-led Operation Prosperity Guardian, taking place alongside the EU’s own Operation Aspides in the Red Sea. This capability could have far-reaching consequences for regional tensions, although it remains uncertain as to whether the data will be used for strikes on Houthi positions.  (German Foreign Policy, 3/11/2024)

TALKING POINT

Church of England and the Slavery Reparations Row

The Church of England is appealing for other organizations to help it establish a £1 billion fund to address its former connections to slavery.

A £100 million sum was initially pledged by the Church to tackle the issue, but following a review by an independent oversight group, it was viewed as “insufficient,” The Guardian reported. Instead, it has been suggested a far greater sum is necessary to properly “reflect the scale of moral sin.”  The Church hopes to “attract co-investors to increase the fund’s value” to “invest globally in black-led businesses.”

The original commitment to reparations, supported by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, was made following findings that a “significant chunk” of the Church’s £10.3 billion wealth could be traced back to profits made from slavery, said The Times.

‘It’s not a lot’

Rosemarie Mallett, the Bishop of Croydon, led the review into the church’s original fund. Speaking to The Guardian, she said £100 million is “a heck of a lot of money,” but “that it is not a lot when you consider the harm done.”

A call for reparations is intrinsically linked to faith, said Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York, in The Sunday Times.  Acknowledging the past demonstrates the Church is “serious about justice and serious about the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

A ‘trinity of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion’

But Niall Gooch on UnHerd said it was an “un-Christian” move. When it comes to reparations, “there is a distinct whiff of the Church leaping on board a passing secular bandwagon.”  Christians “ought to be in the business of promoting racial harmony,” said Gooch, “not crank theories about how all the problems of society are the fault of a certain group.”

Instead of fault, “the Church of England stands close to the top of the heroes’ table” when it comes to addressing the horrors of the slave trade, said Daniel Hannan in The Telegraph. William Wilberforce, widely viewed as the main driving force in Britain for the abolition of the “foul business,” discussed being motivated by his Anglican faith.

Reparations only show the traditional doctrine of the Church is being abandoned in favor of the “newer trinity of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.”

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HAITI’S CONTINUING AGONY

Regional leaders are meeting Monday in Jamaica to discuss Haiti’s political crisis after intense violence in Port-au-Prince saw gangs burn down the country’s Interior Ministry this weekend. They also attacked police stations near the National Palace in offensives that have paralyzed the country. The US Embassy has evacuated non-essential staff.

Washington is pushing for a transitional council to replace unpopular Prime Minister  Ariel Henry, who is stuck outside Haiti. He left for Nairobi on Feb. 25 to try to salvage a multinational intervention force to be led by Kenya. The leader of the largest gang coalition, Jimmy Chérizier (aka Barbecue), used Henry’s absence as an opportunity to play for power.

What happens now? Guyanese President Irfaan Ali, the president of regional bloc CARICOM, says he is in talks with Henry and other Haitian power players.

We expect Henry to step down – without support from Haitians, the US, or regional leaders, how can he hang on?

The tricky question is who comes next. Guy Philippe, a convicted drug trafficker who led the 2004 coup, is building support for his “National Awakening” movement, and some Haitians say he is in a position to negotiate with the gangs. But considering he’s fresh out of a US prison, don’t expect Washington to back him.  (Gzero Signal, 3/12/2024)

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QUOTES OF THE DAY

“All I want is my country back.”  (Lee Anderson, the former vice-chairman of the Conservative Party, explains why he has defected to Reform UK)

“Americans have kind of had it with wars “ (General Mark Milley, Financial Times, 3/2/2024)

“Israel has forfeited the right to exist.”  (George Galloway’s assistant)

Thomas Sowell gave a one-word answer to the question:  “What can Jews do to defeat rising antisemitism?”    Answer:  Fail (brilliant).

“Twice in my lifetime I’ve used the mute button on my remote to stop listening to a president.  One was President Trump; the other Obama.”   (Thomas Sowell, who has endorsed Trump for president)

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STAT OF THE WEEK

67.7% / 73.9%

Irish voters delivered “two wallops” to their government when they shot down efforts to modernize the “very old-fashioned” 1937 constitution. About 67.7% of voters rejected broadening the definition of family (it currently specifies marriage as the basis) and 73.9% voted against removing a suggestion that women’s value derives from “duties in the home” (the biggest constitutional defeat in Ireland’s history). The proposed replacements to these “notions from a bygone era” were criticized as rushed, “maddeningly vague and threatening to property rights,” said Politico.   (The Week, 3/11/2024)

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SCRIPTURE CORNER

Jesus came to take away the guilt and shame of our sin. And he did that by taking on the most shameful death No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame . . .
(Psalm 25:3)

Shame is different from guilt. If you are guilty, you did something wrong, and you realize you are responsible for it. You can feel shame from being guilty, but feelings of shame are not always tied to guilt. Shame has more to do with a lack of self-worth, and that can come from not measuring up to a standard, from feeling insecure, from being bullied or abused in various ways, from public disgrace, ridicule, and more. When you are ashamed, you may or may not have done something wrong, but when others see you, you feel exposed, dirty, unworthy of respect.

When Adam and Eve fell into sin, they realized they had done wrong. They saw that they were naked. They were exposed and felt shame. They tried to cover up and hide. But they couldn’t hide from God—and that was a good thing, because God loved them and valued them, despite what they had done wrong. God loves us all too, despite any bad we have done.

Jesus came to take away the guilt and shame of our sins and he did that by taking on the most shameful death possible:  crucifixion on a Roman cross. He hung there naked, in public disgrace, exposed to the abuse of the jeering crowd. And yet he was innocent. “He endured the cross, scorning its shame” (Hebrews 12:2), so that we can be freed from all shame and live fully with him. Now, because of Jesus, we are forever clean.   (Kent Van Til, Our Daily Bread, 3/8/2024)

Navalny’s Widow Addresses EU Lawmakers

Yulia Navalnaya has vowed to continue her husband’s work to fight for a “free Russia,” Credit: EPA

In the days following her husband Alexei Navalny’s death in a Russian prison colony on 16 February, Yulia Navalnaya has picked up his mantle as a prominent critic of President Vladimir Putin.  Speaking to European lawmakers and students from across the continent in Strasbourg, Ms. Navalnaya called on countries to treat the Russian president as the leader of a criminal organization, using the legal tools at their disposal. Ahead of her speech, Mr. Navalny’s spokesperson announced that the activist’s body would be buried at a cemetery in Moscow on Friday, two weeks before the start of Russia’s presidential election, where Mr. Putin is set to win another six-year term.  Ms. Navalnaya addressed the feeling that “Putin cannot be defeated at all,” channeling her husband in saying: “If you want to defeat Putin you have to become an innovator. You have to stop being boring.”   (BBC News Briefing, 2/28/2024).

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TUESDAY’S MICHIGAN PRIMARY – Michigan’s primary mattered, here’s why

Both Donald Trump and Joe Biden won their primaries in Michigan yesterday, but the vote revealed vulnerabilities for Joe Biden that could come back to haunt him in November.

Why Michigan mattered:  It was Donald Trump’s victory over Hillary Clinton in Michigan that sealed the 2016 election, and Joe Biden’s triumph over Trump there and in other Upper Midwestern states in 2020 that decided the election. In all probability, it will play a decisive role this November. Michigan is also home to the largest Arab-American population in the United States. After a concerted campaign in protest of the Biden administration’s policy toward Israel and Gaza, 13 percent of Democratic primary voters chose “uncommitted” last night. In Dearborn and Hamtramck, two of the Michigan cities with the highest concentrations of Arab Americans, “uncommitted” won 56 and 61 percent of the Democratic vote, respectively. Significant portions of Michigan’s college towns also voted uncommitted in protest, foreshadowing how many young, progressive voters are angry about American support for Israel.

GOP voters once again rejected Nikki Haley in favor of Donald Trump. Haley lost for a fifth time against the former president, winning 27% of the vote against Trump’s 68%. She has vowed to stay in the race through Super Tuesday, where the lion’s share of the delegates are up for grabs. (Gzero Signal, 2/28/2024)

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NATO Troops to Ukraine? Macron Can’t Be Serious

Is French President Emmanuel Macron crazy or just bluffing? It’s a question geopolitics experts are confronting after he suggested Monday that sending Western troops into Ukraine to fight against Russia shouldn’t be “ruled out.”

Ukraine seemed to welcome the suggestion of possible European intervention – hardly surprising given Kyiv’s many challenges at this stage of the war.

But Moscow quickly warned that would inevitably lead to a direct confrontation between Russia and NATO. Germany and Poland on Tuesday also pooh-poohed Marcron’s idea.

Would this actually happen? It’s extremely unlikely that any Western countries will put boots on the ground in Ukraine. No one wants a conflict between nuclear-armed powers.

So why did Macron say this? According to a thread on X by Eurasia Group’s Europe Director Mujtaba Rahman, French sources said Macron’s comments were meant “to reassure Ukraine” and serve as “words of warning to Vladimir Putin.”

Our take:  Macron likes to stand out on the global stage, for better or worse. He took a lot of flak for seeming too friendly to Putin early in the war. Making a non-starter threat like this enables him to look tough, without actually having to back it up. Trés shrewd, Emmanuel.   (Gzero Signal, 2/28/2024)

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MOSCOW MUST LOSE THE WAR

In Germany, the second anniversary of the Russian attack on Ukraine has been marked by noisy sloganeering: calls to keep on fighting until Russia is defeated, and scorn for those who question the logic of ever more lethal weapons for Kiev. “They’re just scared.” From the United States come warnings that Ukraine will lose the war. Some voices within the US administration are now urging President Volodymyr Zelensky to negotiate with Russia. Yet Berlin is doubling down: Moscow must “lose this war.” The leader of the main opposition party in the Bundestag, Friedrich Merz (CDU), says bluntly that there should be “no negotiations” before Russia capitulates. Surveys indicate that not many agree: only 10 to 25 per cent of the German population think a Ukrainian victory is likely. Majorities expect a Russian victory and oppose further arms deliveries. Yet leading German media have joined in the ridiculing of Chancellor Olaf Scholz for his current stance against handing over Taurus cruise missiles to Kiev. He should, they say, stop being “scared”. Any fears are, of course, based on the well-founded assumption that Moscow would interpret the delivery of the Taurus as Germany going to war. Meanwhile, domestically Germany is in a downward spiral. The sharp rise in military spending is accompanied by social cuts and economic decline: “guns without butter,” as one economist quips.  (German Foreign Policy, 2/28/2024)

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US Immigration: Economics vs. Politics

Immigration has overtaken the economy atop the list of Americans’ biggest concerns. In part that’s because the economic future is getting brighter, and as it happens, immigration is part of that story.

The upside:  According to a CBO study, the surge in irregular migrants seen under Joe Biden will lead to 1.7 million more workers in 2024, and will grow the economy by about $7 trillion over the next decade.

The downside:  Irregular immigration is straining social services, even in Democrat-run “sanctuary cities.”  And over the longer term, experts say that the lower skill levels of this wave of migrants could undermine productivity and depress wages in low-skilled sectors.

The politics:  Notwithstanding the findings about undocumented immigrants’ contributions to the future economy, Americans’ views are hardening. 80% of Americans say the current administration is doing a bad job managing the border, and a Gallup poll found that 28% of voters named immigration as the country’s biggest problem, up from 20% last month.   (Gzero Signal, 2/28)

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JEW HATRED IN UK OUT OF CONTROL

In London over the past few days, I was told the following story.

It concerned Menai Bridge, a small town in north Wales which is listed here as having a population of 3,046 souls of whom precisely four are Jews. A few weeks ago, one of these four Jews decided to visit a shop in the town. She was shocked, however, to see a sign in its window declaring “No Zionists allowed.” She put her head round the door and told the owner that she had been intending to visit the shop, but in view of the sign in the window she wouldn’t now do so. At which he yelled at her: “Get out of my shop, you f*****g Jew!” 

The owner was white-skinned. As the woman retreated into the street, an Asian man who was passing heard what was being screamed at her from inside the shop and proceeded to hurl at her the same antisemitic obscenity.

Jew-hatred in Britain is out of control.   (Melanie Phillips, 2/28/2024)

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SHORTS

Any addiction, whether to the internet, opioids, or gambling, is closely linked to depression, with each reinforcing the other. (Rise and shine, Epoch Times, 2/28/2024)

TRUMP’S SURPIRSING PLEDGE. If former President Donald Trump wins reelection in 2024, he’s promising a massive campaign to deport all illegal immigrants. There are some doubts around whether this would be possible, but during the recent CPAC conference, President Trump reiterated this promise. Meanwhile, the former president is saying that a victory for him would render Nov. 5 a veritable “Liberation Day” for hard-working Americans.  (Epoch Times, 2/28/2024)

The Daily Mail leads on the chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, allegedly deciding not to boost defence spending in the upcoming budget, despite “raging” wars and “growing threats.” The paper describes this as “indefensible.”  The Times splashes on its own interview with the home secretary, James Cleverly, who tells the paper that he believes that pro-Palestinian protesters have “made their point” and do not need to continue with their demonstrations.  (The Week, 2/28/2024)

Mary Poppins, the 1964 Disney classic film, has had its age rating raised from U to PG by British film censors because it features “discriminatory language.” Mary Poppins includes two uses of the discriminatory term ‘hottentots’,” which was a derogatory term originally used by white Europeans about nomadic peoples in southern Africa, a spokesperson for the British Board of Film Classification said. “Most recently, the film was resubmitted to us in February 2024 for another theatrical re-release, and we reclassified it PG for discriminatory language.”   (The Week, 2/27/2024)

Incitement Against Israel In Qatari Press Continues: Only More Attacks Like October 7 Will Restrain It; The Conflict Will End Only With Disappearance Of Israel (MEMRI headline, 2/28/2024

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RICH BUT, OH, SO POOR

Scripture Reading – Hebrews 13:16-18

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)

Stock market values can make people wealthy or poor. Money is not a good god; it cannot love you, nor can it give you eternal life. The one true God, however, has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” The church in Laodicea had a big problem. Because their lukewarm attitude caused a less-than-effective ministry, Jesus warned them that he was about to spit them out of his mouth. They had bank accounts filled with money, tempting their eyes to turn from Jesus toward only themselves. But that made them “wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked” in Jesus’ eyes.

Jesus did not shut the door on them, but he offered wise financial advice. He advised them to find true wealth in him, and to obtain the pure, white garments of his righteousness rather than the black-wool garments that Laodicea was famous for. And they should invest in the eye medicine of his insight, rather than the medicinal balm their region was known for. Money itself is not the problem, but trusting in money instead of Jesus will bring ruin (see 1 Timothy 6:10). Following the way of Laodicea puts the church at great spiritual risk. Let us thank God that he never leaves us but is always ready to discipline us in love.   (Evan Heerema, Our Daily Bread, 2/27/2024)

NO BLOG THIS WEEK

I had a nasty round of Influenza A and a couple trips to the ER. Will be back next week!

HISTORIANS ARE CONTESTING PUTIN’S INTERVIEW CLAIMS

Researchers say Putin’s vision of Russia amounts to a selective abuse of history to justify the ongoing war in Ukraine. (Credit: Reuters)

Russian President Vladimir Putin began his interview with US talk show host Tucker Carlson with a 30-minute lecture on Russian and Ukrainian history. But historians tell the BBC the Russian leader’s claims are nonsensical.

On the establishment of Russia and Ukraine

Mr. Putin claimed that 862 – when Scandinavian prince Rurik was invited to rule over the city of Novgorod, the capital of the Rus – was the year of the “establishment of the Russian state.” He contrasts this with Ukraine, which he insists was “created” as late as the 20th Century. But Sergey Radchenko, a historian at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, says the claim is “a complete falsehood.” “You could equally say that Ukraine as a state began its development in the ninth Century, exactly with the same kind of evidence and documents,” he said.

On Poland’s ‘collaboration with Hitler’

Mr. Putin claimed Poland – which was invaded by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in 1939 – “collaborated with Hitler.”  Anita Prazmowska, a professor emerita at the LSE, says while it’s true the first treaty Hitler signed after coming to power was a non-aggression pact with Poland in 1934, Mr .Putin is conflating diplomatic outreach to a threatening neighbour with collaboration. “The accusation that the Poles were collaborating is nonsense,” she says. “It just so happened that the Soviet Union also signed treaties with Germany [at the same time].”  (BBC, 2/9/2024)

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TRUMP SENDS EUROPE INTO A PANIC

Speaking at a South Carolina rally on Saturday, Donald Trump said he would “encourage” Russia to attack NATO members that don’t meet their financial obligations. “No I would not protect you, in fact I would encourage them to do whatever they want,” the former president and likely GOP 2024 nominee thundered. “You gotta pay.”  (Gzero Signal, 2/12/2024).

950 million people live within the NATO alliance.  (Scripps News, 2/12/2024)

NATO CHIEF WARNS AGAINST TRUMP’S POSITION ON ALLIANCE

What happened 
The NATO chief, Jens Stoltenberg, has said that any assault on the Western military alliance would be met with a “collective and robust reaction” after Donald Trump threatened to encourage Russia to attack countries that have not contributed enough money.

Who said what
“Any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security, including that of the US, and puts American and European soldiers at increased risk,” Stoltenberg said. His statement came in response to Trump’s comments at a rally in South Carolina that he would “encourage” Russia “to do whatever the hell they want” to any European countries he deemed to be in arrears.

The commentary 
This is “not the first time Trump has singled out NATO,” said The Times. Indeed, he spent much of his four-year presidency “undermining it while strong-arming members into keeping their commitments to spend more on their own militaries,” said the New York Times, with the threat that “he would not come to their aid otherwise.”

What next? 
Despite NATO’s alarm, further attacks by Moscow do not appear imminent. In his interview with Tucker Carlson last week, Vladimir Putin said that while Russia would fight for its interests “to the end” it had no desire to expand its war in Ukraine to other countries. Putin’s reticence is understandable, considering Russia’s military is already “overextended” in Ukraine, The Guardian said.

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CHINA PREPARES FOR US TAKEOVER

China’s Communist Party is at this moment putting in place the infrastructure in America to attack America.

In Reedley, California, near Fresno, authorities found a secret Chinese biological weapons lab with at least 20 pathogens, including the one for Ebola, and almost a thousand mice that had been genetically engineered to spread disease.

Chinese agents, in addition to hobbling Americans with disease and gunning them down, could bomb power stations, attack military bases, start wildfires, poison reservoirs, or create terror in dozens of ways.

These tactics come straight out of Unrestricted Warfare, a 1999 book written by two Chinese air force colonels and first published by the PLA Literature and Arts Publishing House in Beijing. The colonels argued that China can and should employ any tactic in attacking a militarily superior United States. Now, Americans can see how Beijing is operationalizing the suggestions in this how-to manual.   (Gordon Chang, Gatestone, 2/13/2024).

12 FEBRUARY 1912 — The last Qing Emperor of China, Puyi (aged six), abdicates after losing the support of the Chinese people. Modern day China often harks back to the Qing dynasty when making claims to lands including Taiwan, which it calls an inalienable part of its territory. Historians, in turn, recall that even under Qing rule there were more than 100 recorded rebellions in Taiwan, highlighting the island’s complex history.  (The Week, 2/12/2024)

Chinese Influencer Zhou Zheng: Never Believe What The Jews Say; We Only Hear About The Holocaust, But Not About How The ‘Filthy Rich Jews’ Previously Betrayed ‘Kind’ Germany; The Jews’ Crimes Against China Are Even Worse Than Those Against Germany (MEMRI, 2/9/2024)

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THE EXPLAINER

What are the Regency Acts?

As the nation absorbs the news of King Charles’s cancer diagnosis, what happens if he becomes unable to fulfil his constitutional duties is another concern.

“Much of his private work will continue,” according to the BBC’s political editor Chris Mason, and the monarch will still “receive his red boxes, the daily exchange of paperwork at the heart of his role.”

But if he were to become seriously ill, a piece of legislation called the Regency Act could come into play.

What is the Regency Act?

The Regency Act of 1937 was introduced during the reign of King Charles’s grandfather, King George VI. It states that if the monarch “by reason of infirmity of mind or body” is “incapable for the time being of performing the royal functions,” a “regent” would be appointed to take their place until they have recovered.    (The Week, 2/12/2024)

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MEDIA BIAS

One can understand why Al-Jazeera and Arab media journalists are so anti-Israel that they do not want to provide a platform to any Palestinian to criticize Hamas. Yet, one cannot understand why the foreign media is turning a blind eye to the critical voices coming out from the Gaza Strip and Palestinians and Arabs living outside the Hamas-ruled coastal enclave.  Why? These journalists are busy searching for stories that reflect badly only on Israel.  (Bassam Tawil, Gatestone, 2/12/2024)

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5 FEBRUARY 1944

The “Captain America” serial film premieres, starring Dick Purcell. The film was the first appearance of a Marvel superhero outside a comic. Today, Marvel movies loom large over the film industry. However, “superhero fatigue” is beginning to set in, Forbes said, with the last major Marvel Studios film, “The Marvels,” underperforming at the box office.  (The Week, 2/5/2024)

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Biden has opened the floodgates of Hell. Although nothing is inevitable, we are fast approaching the point where, as a practical matter, he will not be able to stop China and Russia, directly and through proxies, from merging existing conflicts and turning them into the next global war.  (Gordon G. Chang, Gatestone, 6/6/2023)

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A 13-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted in a public toilet while the gang of thugs made her boyfriend watch.  Police say that seven suspects were involved in the horrific attack that took place last Tuesday in Sicily, Italy, The Sun reports.

Cops have now arrested seven young Egyptian migrants – four adults and three minors, aged between 15 to 19.   (The Sun, 2/6/2024)

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Scripture Reading — Revelation 1:9-16

I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.  (Revelation 1:9)

John explains to his first readers that he understands what it means to suffer for the cause of Christ. He is imprisoned on the island of Patmos “because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.” John confirms that anyone who follows Jesus is not excused from persecution. In fact, Jesus told his followers to expect it. As Jesus’ enemies did to him, they will do to his followers (John 15:18-20, 33). But Jesus also rose victorious from death and ascended to the Father’s right hand. And the church will follow. “Patient endurance” is needed through trials and suffering for God’s kingdom while his people live here on earth, but full life with God forever is promised for all who keep serving him. Next John notes that Jesus announces himself with a trumpet-like voice, telling him to write to the seven churches. John turns around to see who is speaking, and a man is standing there among seven lampstands, dressed in a royal robe, with hair and eyes reflecting images of the “Ancient of Days” in Daniel 7:9, and with a voice like the sound of rushing waters (see Ezekiel 43:2). This “son of man” can be trusted despite what his enemies might do, for this is Jesus, the Lord of his church! (Evan Heerema, Our Daily Bread, 2/6/2024)