USA - Legendary diplomat Henry Kissinger, who died Wednesday at the age of 100, was still seen as influential on the world stage, giving some his final remarks on the Israel-Hamas war. Speaking on German television just days after the shock attack that killed over 1,200 Israelis, he said that there needed to be 'some penalty' for Hamas' 'open act of aggression' when asked what should be done in response to the attack.
GERMANY - French tire giant Michelin will slash over 1,500 jobs in Germany by 2025, the company announced in Frankfurt on Tuesday. Competition from lower-wage nations and soaring energy prices have made production in Western Europe unprofitable, according to a statement. The firm noted that “recent health and geopolitical crises” had pushed up operating costs, putting “additional strain on Germany’s competitiveness as an industrial location.” Some German politicians are urging the government to reconsider its antagonistic stance towards Russia, citing the economic damage their nation has suffered. Earlier this year, US tire maker Goodyear revealed plans to shut down two factories in Germany, which will cut around 1,750 jobs.
RUSSIA - The Supreme Court of Russia outlawed the “international LGBT public movement” on Thursday, designating it an extremist group. The ruling also affects subsidiaries of the movement, the court announced, without naming specific organizations. Over the past few years, Russia has gradually tightened its legislation aimed at countering the spread of so-called “LGBT ideology.” In 2013, the country outlawed the dissemination of such propaganda among minors, extending the measure to adults last December. Major fines were introduced for anyone found guilty of promoting “non-traditional sexual relations,” transgenderism and pedophilia.
INDIA - About every 11 years, the sun goes through what's known as 'solar maximum', when many bizarre dark spots appear on its surface. These 'sunspots' – which can cluster together and form what looks like an archipelago – are caused by massive changes in our star's magnetic field. They also shoot out violent explosions of energy towards Earth, causing 'solar storms' that can potentially damage satellites and disrupt the internet. Unfortunately, a new study reveals that this solar maximum is coming sooner than expected – most likely in early 2024. The new forecast comes from an Indian team of researchers and contrasts with the latest forecast from NASA, which puts its arrival at late 2025.
UK - UK school pupils should be able to wear uniforms of the opposite sex and choose another pronoun or name, according to upcoming official guidance, the Times reported on Monday. The newspaper said the document is expected to be released by the British government next week. It will reportedly recommend that children be permitted to “socially transition with the consent of their parents” but only “in limited circumstances.” There will be an effective “presumption against” doing so, the Times said, citing a government source. The guidance will clearly state that teachers should not be “compelled” to refer to children by their chosen pronoun if they have a “good faith” objection, the article said.
USA - ‘Woke’ funds funnel $5 trillion into arms industry. ESG funds, once champions of environmental causes, have raised ethical concerns after investing heavily in defense stocks. ESG – or Environmental, Social, and Governance investing – provides a framework for investing in funds that take into account environmental, social, and governance factors. It is often used interchangeably with terms like “socially responsible investing (SRI)” and “sustainable investing.” ESG investments, falling under the umbrella of socially responsible investing, analyze a company’s societal impact...
ISRAEL - Hamas, an Islamic movement that controls Gaza, is believed to have a network of tunnels that is 500 kilometers (310 miles) long. It features command rooms and training grounds, bunkers, and meeting rooms and is connected to a sophisticated ventilation system and a steady water and electricity supply. It’s been more than 50 days since Israel launched its Swords of Iron operation aimed at eliminating Hamas, following the group’s deadly attack on the country’s southern communities, which has claimed the lives of more than 1,400 people and injured thousands of others.
FRANCE - Say what you want about Napoleon Bonaparte, but there’s no denying that he was an absolute alpha who can still blow a beret right off the head of a Frenchman. The kind that sorely lacks nowadays in Western leadership roles. Which would explain why a new poll, released just as a Ridley Scott-directed biopic about him hits theatres, has found that 74 percent of French view his actions positively.
GERMANY - Germany is being bossed by its Western partners because it lacks sovereignty, and its policymakers demonstrate poor leadership skills, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated at a meeting with young Russian scientists on Wednesday. Putin weighed in on the EU’s push to wean itself off Russian energy following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict, arguing that by implementing the measure, Germany was only hurting itself.
AUSTRIA - In the vast expanse of finance, few narratives unfold with the dramatic cadence of Austrian magnate Rene Benko’s ascent and sudden plunge. Once commended for masterminding lavish acquisitions, Benko’s financial realm – identified as Signa Holding, an extensive European property empire – has commenced insolvency proceedings in Vienna. This event has reverberated significantly within the complex network of European finance.
TAIWAN - China has reacted sharply to rhetoric from politicians in Taipei ahead of a presidential election on the island. China is willing to allow “plenty of space” for peaceful reunification with Taiwan, but will not tolerate separatist activities, government spokesperson Chen Binhua warned on Monday. The official was responding to comments by Taiwanese pro-independence politicians ahead of a presidential election on the self-governing island. Chen, who is spokesperson for China’s State Council for Taiwan Affairs Office, said Beijing will not show leniency toward forces in Taiwan if they promote separatism. “I want to emphasize that Taiwan independence means war,” Chen stated as he condemned Lai and Hsiao as separatists. He further accused the pair of distorting the facts and downplaying the risks of separatist activities to deceive voters ahead of the 2024 election.
USA - After years of inflation, US consumers are shouldering a burden unlike anything seen in decades — even as the pace of price increases has slowed. It now requires $119.27 to buy the same goods and services a family could afford with $100 before the pandemic. Since early 2020, prices have risen about as much as they had in the full 10 years preceding the health emergency. It’s hard to find an area of a household budget that’s been spared: Groceries are up 25% since January 2020. Same with electricity. Used-car prices have climbed 35%, auto insurance 33% and rents roughly 20%. Those figures help explain why Americans continue to register strong dissatisfaction with the economy: Consumers’ daily routines have largely returned to their pre-pandemic normal, but the cost of living has not.
USA - Until the 1970s, the majority of people were fit as a fiddle! No keto, vegan, or paleo diets. No home aerobics or gym memberships. No fancy fitness tech or wellness influencers. They also weren't drinking protein shakes or counting calories. So, what went wrong?
CHINA - China has brought back masks and social distancing in a chilling echo of lockdown as they battle a mystery pneumonia outbreak four years on from Covid. Alarming footage has emerged of mask-wearing crowds inside Chinese hospitals as fears of a new pandemic sweep across the globe. Areas in the north of the country such as Beijing and Liaoning have been hit the hardest, with reports emerging last week that hospitals are being overwhelmed with sick children.
USA - Agents within US Customers and Border Protection (CBP) are prohibited from using traditional gender pronouns during initial engagements with members of the public, according to an internal government memo recently obtained by conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation. The memo, requested via FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) by Heritage’s Oversight Project, ordered agents to avoid using “he, him, she, her” pronouns “until you have more information about, or provided by, the individual,” Fox News reports. CBP, an entity of the Department of Homeland Security, told agents that “if an incorrect pronoun is used and corrected by the individual, acknowledge the oversight and use the correct pronoun,” Fox noted.
“Just what is an APOSTLE?”
Today we find the Church of God in a “wilderness of religious confusion!”
The confusion is not merely around the Church – within the religions of the world outside – but WITHIN the very heart of The True Church itself!
Read online or contact email to request a copy
